FBI Arrest ex-Canadian Snowboard Olympian Turned Alleged Drug Lord
FBI Arrest ex-Canadian Snowboard Olympian Turned Alleged Drug Lord
Ryan Wedding, the former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who became one of the world’s most wanted fugitives, has been arrested in Mexico after more than a decade on the run.
The 44-year-old, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, reportedly turned himself in at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City on Thursday.
Following his surrender, he was flown to California to face a litany of federal charges related to his alleged leadership of a violent, multibillion-dollar drug trafficking organization.
U.S. authorities, including FBI Director Kash Patel, have described Wedding as a “modern-day El Chapo,” comparing him to the notorious imprisoned leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. Investigators allege that Wedding’s criminal network moved approximately 60 tons of cocaine annually from South America through Mexico and into the United States and Canada.
Officials believe he operated under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel for years, using aliases such as “El Jefe,” “Public Enemy,” and “James Conrad King” to mask his identity while building a sprawling narcotics empire.
The allegations against Wedding extend beyond drug trafficking to include orchestrating several brutal murders. He is accused of directing the 2023 killings of two members of a Canadian family in Ontario as retaliation for a stolen drug shipment, as well as ordering a hit over a drug debt in 2024. Most recently, he was indicted for the 2025 murder of a federal witness in Medellín, Colombia, an act allegedly carried out to prevent the witness from testifying against him in a U.S. court.
Wedding’s downfall follows an intensive year-long international investigation involving authorities from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.
This operation, dubbed “Operation Giant Slalom” in a nod to his former athletic career, has already resulted in the arrest of 36 associates.
Among those previously detained were high-ranking members of his organization, a Canadian criminal lawyer, and a reggaeton musician, illustrating the diverse and high-level nature of his support network.
Law enforcement officials highlighted the dramatic contrast between Wedding’s early life as an elite athlete and his subsequent career as a kingpin.
While he once represented his country on the world stage, placing 24th in the parallel giant slalom, he eventually transitioned into a life of crime that earned him a spot on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Prior to his arrest, the U.S. government had offered a massive $15 million reward for information leading to his capture, reflecting the severity of the threat he posed to public safety.
With Wedding now in custody, he faces a potential sentence of life in prison if convicted of running a continuing criminal enterprise and multiple counts of murder. Federal prosecutors stated that his arrest sends a clear signal that no one, regardless of their past status or international connections, is beyond the reach of the law.
As legal proceedings begin in California, authorities continue to seize millions of dollars in assets including luxury cars, artwork, and jewelry linked to the proceeds of his alleged criminal activities.
