The Department of Justice has increased the reward for the capture of murder suspect and former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding to $15 million, making him one of the most sought-after fugitives in the world. Wedding, a Canadian citizen who had been living in Mexico, is accused of leading a sprawling international drug trafficking ring that stretched from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California and into Canada.
“Whether you’re a kingpin or a dealer on the street, anyone who sells drugs to our kids will be arrested and prosecuted,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi at a press conference at the DOJ on Wednesday after the government unsealed an indictment against Wedding, charging him with witness intimidation, murder, and money laundering. “Ryan Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world and works closely with the Sinaloa Cartel. We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled.”
Federal prosecutors say he is responsible for multiple murders, witness intimidation, money laundering and moving enormous quantities of cocaine across the continent. He is one of 16 people charged in connection with the organization, which authorities allege handled roughly 60 tons of cocaine a year; four suspects, including Wedding, remain at large.
Wedding, 44, competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics before prosecutors say he pivoted into high-level organized crime. According to the Justice Department, he allegedly oversaw shipments of bulk cocaine from South America into the United States before it was smuggled across the northern border into Canada.
Prosecutors say his organization used a network of couriers, stash houses and encrypted communications to avoid detection while generating tens of millions of dollars in illicit profits. Wedding is also accused of personally ordering multiple murders tied to drug debts and internal disputes, including at least one killing in Mexico.
Federal authorities described the enterprise as one of the most sophisticated cross-border trafficking pipelines uncovered in recent years. A Los Angeles grand jury indicted Wedding and others on charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine, murder-for-hire, witness tampering and international money laundering. Ten suspects have already been arrested, several in coordinated early-morning raids conducted with the help of Mexican and Canadian authorities. Four remain fugitives, but investigators say Wedding is the most dangerous and most heavily involved.
The FBI announced that Wedding has now been added to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, a designation reserved for individuals considered exceptionally violent or difficult to apprehend. Agents warned that he may still be in Mexico, where he previously lived, or may be attempting to move between countries using forged travel documents. He is known to use multiple aliases and has ties to criminal groups operating along the U.S.–Mexico border and in Baja California.
Authorities urged the public not to approach Wedding if spotted, describing him as armed and extremely dangerous. The Justice Department said it raised the reward because the investigation has reached a critical stage and credible sightings have become increasingly sparse. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI or the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.