Ryan Wedding, once celebrated as a Canadian Olympian, now stands at the center of one of the world’s most extensive criminal investigations, reportedly under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel (per CBC News).
On the run reportedly since 2015 for multiple drug and conspiracy crimes and orchestrating murders, Wedding has evaded capture for nearly a decade. The U.S. State Department on Wednesday raised the reward for his capture to $15 million from $10 million. Currently, on the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted list, Wedding’s story is a striking descent from snow-capped slopes to an alleged global criminal enterprise.
“Ryan Wedding is a modern day iteration of Pablo Escobar. He is a modern day iteration of El Chapo Guzman,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi labeled him “currently the largest distributor of cocaine in Canada” and head of “one of the most prolific and violent” drug trafficking organizations globally.
Who Is Ryan Wedding? Identity and Current Whereabouts Explained
Ryan Wedding first entered public consciousness during the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Born in Ontario and later relocating to British Columbia, Wedding transitioned from skiing to snowboarding in his teens. He competed for Canada in the parallel giant slalom at the Olympics but did not medal. His athletic career ended soon after, and in 2008, he was arrested in California while allegedly working for a B.C. drug lord. Wedding spent around three years in U.S. prisons.
In April 2015, the RCMP charged Wedding in Montreal as part of a cocaine trafficking operation. He escaped to Mexico, where he remains at large. Authorities suspect he is now 44 and oversees a vast drug enterprise protected by the Sinaloa cartel (per CBC News). The U.S. Justice Department hasn’t ruled out that Wedding could be hiding elsewhere, potentially in the U.S., Canada, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, or Costa Rica.
Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles Field Office, said Wednesday:
He’s being protected by the Sinaloa cartel along with others in the country of Mexico.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme explained that Wedding’s elusiveness, despite a multi-million-dollar reward, signals his high rank within cartel networks.
When you have a $10 million reward and no one is coming forward, it just tells you where he is in the hierarchy with the Mexican cartels.
Wedding reportedly uses aliases such as “Giant,” “Public Enemy,” and “El Jefe”.
What Is Ryan Wedding Accused Of? The Shocking Allegations Explained
Ryan Wedding was an Olympic snowboarder and represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics. He's now a transnational drug trafficker for Mexico's largest drug cartel and he's on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list pic.twitter.com/grRAU3DhjL
Ryan Wedding’s alleged criminal activities are staggering. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi outlined that his organization imports roughly 60 metric tonnes of cocaine annually into Los Angeles via semi-trucks from Mexico, roughly equivalent to 40 cars.
Akil Davis added that Wedding trafficked record levels of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Kash Patel compared Wedding to infamous figures like Pablo Escobar and El Chapo Guzman, emphasizing the scope of his alleged empire.
The scale of violence associated with Wedding is equally alarming. Law enforcement claims he has orchestrated numerous murders, including a U.S. federal witness in Medellin, Colombia, earlier this year. Bondi revealed that Wedding allegedly used a Canadian website to locate the witness and his wife, facilitating the murder.
Has Anyone Linked to Ryan Wedding or His Organization Been Arrested?
Canadian snowboarder turned drug kingpin used website to order hit on witness who was set to testify against him https://t.co/iJLtq7e0oK pic.twitter.com/oMmKhL0CY6
Several individuals connected to Ryan Wedding have been arrested. A Quebec man was apprehended in relation to the Medellin case. Ten people were arrested recently for the ongoing U.S. indictment, including seven Canadians and Wedding’s lawyer, Deepak Paradkar, who allegedly advised him to kill the witness. Paradkar is now in custody and will face extradition to the U.S.
Since March 2025, he has been listed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. Chris Landberg, a senior official in the U.S. State Department, reiterated (per CBC):
No one, not even a former Olympian, is above the law.
Ryan Wedding’s transformation from Olympic athlete to alleged global criminal mastermind is a cautionary tale of ambition gone awry. Will the $15 million reward finally motivate someone to step forward? Comment below with your thoughts!
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