Former Canadian olympian accused of leading international cocaine trafficking ring
A former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, Ryan James Wedding, has been charged with leading a vast drug trafficking ring that smuggled large quantities of cocaine across the Americas and was linked to the murders of four people, according to authorities on Thursday. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and extradition of Wedding, a 43-year-old Canadian citizen living in Mexico, who is now on the run.
Wedding faces multiple charges in the United States, including operating a criminal enterprise, murder, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, according to U.S. prosecutors. U.S. authorities allege that his group transported substantial shipments of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and California to Canada and other parts of the U.S., using long-haul trucks. In addition to the U.S. charges, Wedding also faces unresolved charges in Canada dating back to 2015, according to Chris Leather, a chief superintendent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada in Los Angeles said Wedding’s ring is believed to have moved around 60 tons of cocaine annually. Wedding is one of 16 individuals charged in connection with this drug trafficking operation, and four remain runaways. Estrada emphasized the severity of the charges, stating, “He chose to become a major drug trafficker and he chose to become a killer.”
As part of the investigation, U.S. authorities have arrested a dozen individuals in various locations, including Florida, Michigan, Canada, Colombia, and Mexico. According to FBI special agent Krysti Hawkins, the case involved coordination across multiple countries and led to significant seizures, including cocaine, weapons, ammunition, cash, and over $3 million in cryptocurrency.
Authorities in Canada linked Wedding’s group to the murders of two members of a family, believed to be a case of mistaken identity following a stolen drug shipment. Two other individuals were also killed in connection with the drug operation.
Wedding, who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City for Canada, has a criminal history that includes a previous conviction in the United States. He was sentenced to prison in 2010 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and U.S. authorities believe he resumed his drug trafficking activities following his release, allegedly under the protection of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.
As the search for Wedding continues, U.S. and Canadian authorities are working closely to bring the runaway and his associates to justice.
