A former Olympic snowboarder has been indicted by federal prosecutors for allegedly leading an international drug trafficking operation that smuggled significant amounts of cocaine into the United States and was implicated in orchestrating multiple murders.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California disclosed the charges on Thursday against 43-year-old Ryan James Wedding, a native of Canada who is currently believed to be in Mexico and is considered a fugitive. The indictment includes eight charges, such as murder, involvement in a criminal enterprise, and conspiracy to possess, distribute, and export cocaine.
Prosecutors assert that Wedding’s network transported cocaine from Colombia through Mexico into the Los Angeles area, distributing it across the United States and Canada via long-haul trucks. Wedding, known by various aliases including “El Jefe,” “Giant,” and “Public Enemy,” reportedly employed violence, including murder, to achieve his objectives, according to officials.
Wedding and his associate Andrew Clark are accused of overseeing the murders of two individuals in Ontario, Canada, in November 2023, as retaliation for a stolen drug shipment. Additionally, another person was injured in the incident. They are also charged with ordering the killing of another person in May 2024 due to unpaid drug debts.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated at a press conference, “Wedding chose to become a major drug trafficker and a killer. They were killers. Anyone who got in their way was targeted with violence, including murder.”
Wedding represented Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City, competing in the parallel giant slalom event. He is one of 16 individuals charged in connection with this drug trafficking network. Clark was apprehended in Mexico in October, while four others, including Wedding, remain at large. Law enforcement agencies have confiscated over a ton of cocaine, along with firearms, ammunition, $255,400 in cash, and more than $3.2 million in cryptocurrency during the investigation.
Additionally, Wedding faces drug-related charges in Canada. He previously served time in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in 2010. Estrada noted that even after his release, Wedding resumed drug trafficking activities, allegedly under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.
The FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to Wedding’s capture, arrest, and extradition.