Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding, 43, is currently a fugitive facing federal charges for his alleged involvement in a cocaine trafficking ring that spanned across North America. Wedding, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, has been accused of ordering killings as part of the drug operation that prosecutors have described as ruthless and deadly.
Prosecutors have unveiled a superseding indictment detailing charges against Wedding and 15 other defendants. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for any information leading to Wedding’s arrest and extradition, cautioning the public that he should be considered armed and dangerous. A federal warrant for his arrest was issued on September 17.
According to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, Wedding allegedly ran the criminal enterprise for 13 years, making billions of dollars through the operation. The drug trafficking ring would reportedly ship around 60 tons of cocaine through North America on average. Wedding, along with his associate Ryan Clark, is accused of ordering the killing of a couple from India under the mistaken belief that they were responsible for a lost cocaine shipment. The couple was fatally shot in front of their daughter.
The operation involved sourcing mass quantities of cocaine from Colombia, where it was processed in cocaine kitchens before being transported to Mexico and then into the U.S. via long-haul trucks. The drugs were then allegedly trafficked to the East Coast and Canada through Los Angeles. Wedding, who had reached the pinnacle of his sport as an Olympic snowboarder, is now accused of running a vast drug empire that used contract killers to eliminate obstacles.
In addition to drug trafficking, the operation also involved laundering money through cryptocurrency. Federal investigators seized $3 million from one cryptocurrency wallet alone, along with over 1 ton of cocaine, U.S. cash, firearms, and ammunition.
Several defendants have already been arrested in connection with the case and are set to appear in court in multiple locations. Wedding, who has been known to use aliases such as “Giant,” “El Jefe,” and “Public Enemy,” is facing eight felony charges, including murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crimes.
Prosecutors have emphasized the violent nature of the drug operation, with individuals being shot execution-style in connection with the ring. Wedding and Clark are accused of ordering multiple killings, including the fatal shooting of a man in his driveway earlier this year. As the investigation unfolds, authorities are working to dismantle the drug trafficking network that Wedding allegedly spearheaded for over a decade.
