Former Olympic Snowboarder Wanted in the US for Serious Charges

Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding is now wanted by the FBI for drug trafficking and murder charges.

At a Glance

Ryan James Wedding, 43, is accused of leading a transnational drug trafficking operation.
He faces eight felony charges, including conspiracy to export cocaine and three counts of murder.
Wedding is believed to be living in Mexico and has aliases such as El Jefe, Giant, and Public Enemy.
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Wedding’s arrest.
Wedding previously served four years in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine in 2010.

From Olympic Slopes to Criminal Allegations

Ryan James Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who once represented his country in the 2002 Winter Olympics, now finds himself at the center of a major international criminal investigation. The 43-year-old athlete, who placed 24th in the parallel giant slalom event at the Salt Lake City Games, is now wanted by the FBI on charges that paint a stark contrast to his former life as an Olympian.

According to U.S. authorities, Wedding is accused of leading a transnational drug trafficking operation that shipped cocaine from California to Canada between January and April 2024. The scale of the alleged operation is staggering, with reports suggesting the organization moved up to 827 pounds of cocaine in a single month from Mexico to California and then to Canada.

The #FBI offers a reward of up to $50,000 for info leading to the apprehension, arrest & extradition of Ryan James Wedding, wanted for alleged involvement in a transnational drug trafficking operation & multiple murders in furtherance of these drug crimes: https://t.co/RFdFwKgSaf pic.twitter.com/YY6s8pmPqx

— FBI Most Wanted (@FBIMostWanted) October 17, 2024

Serious Charges and Ongoing Investigation

The charges against Wedding are severe and numerous. He faces eight felonies, including conspiracy to export cocaine and three counts of murder related to drug crimes. The U.S. attorney’s office claims that Wedding orchestrated the murders of two family members in Ontario, Canada, over a stolen drug shipment and another murder over a drug debt.

“An Olympic athlete-turned-drug lord is now charged with leading a transnational organized crime group that engaged in cocaine trafficking and murder, including of innocent civilians,” Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Giant Slalom in an apparent nod to Wedding’s snowboarding past, has already yielded significant results. Authorities have seized over a ton of cocaine, firearms, ammunition, $250,000 in cash, and $3.2 million in cryptocurrency. Most of the 16 people indicted were captured during this operation, including Andrew Clark, a co-defendant arrested earlier this month.

A Criminal Enterprise of Staggering Proportions

The scale of the alleged criminal operation, referred to as “The Wedding Criminal Enterprise” by authorities, is truly astounding. Investigators claim that the organization trafficked cocaine from Colombia through Mexico into the U.S. and Canada, moving an estimated 60 tons of cocaine annually and generating billions in revenue.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have also stated that the criminal network trafficked methamphetamines, further expanding the scope of the alleged illegal activities. The use of violence to maintain control over the operation has been highlighted by authorities, with Wedding and Clark allegedly hiring contract killers to eliminate threats to their business.

A Fall from Grace and Ongoing Manhunt

This is not Wedding’s first brush with the law. In 2010, he was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He also has unresolved drug trafficking charges in Canada from 2015, indicating a pattern of alleged criminal behavior spanning over a decade.

Currently, Wedding is believed to be living in Mexico and goes by aliases such as El Jefe, Giant, and Public Enemy. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest, underscoring the seriousness of the charges and the priority placed on bringing him into custody.

As the manhunt continues, the case of Ryan Wedding serves as a stark reminder of how far some individuals can fall from grace. From representing his country on the world stage to becoming one of the FBI’s most wanted, Wedding’s story is a cautionary tale about the devastating consequences of involvement in the drug trade and violent crime.