CaliToday (20/11/2025): The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has escalated its global manhunt for a former Olympic athlete turned alleged drug lord, offering a staggering $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.
Ryan James Wedding, 44, a former Canadian snowboarder who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is now accused of running a trans-national criminal empire that rivals the world’s most notorious cartels.
The "Prolific" Enterprise
According to a new indictment unsealed on Wednesday, Wedding’s fall from grace is absolute. Once a competitor in the men's parallel giant slalom, authorities say he now operates as a "kingpin," directing a sophisticated logistics network that floods North America with cocaine.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi described Wedding’s operation as "one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world."
The Scale: Wedding allegedly moves 60 metric tons (approx. 130,000 pounds) of cocaine annually into the United States and Canada.
The Method: The drugs are transported from Colombia to Mexico, then smuggled into Los Angeles via semi-trucks before being distributed north.
The Partners: The FBI asserts that Wedding works hand-in-glove with the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
A "Cold-Blooded" Murder Plot
The new charges against Wedding are not limited to trafficking. He is accused of orchestrating a brutal campaign of violence and witness intimidation.
In a chilling revelation, authorities detailed the murder of a federal witness on January 31, 2025. According to AG Bondi, Wedding allegedly placed a bounty on the witness’s head. To flush the target out, the criminal organization utilized a Canadian website called "The Dirty News" to publish photographs of the witness and his wife, effectively crowd-sourcing his location.
"[The tactic] ultimately succeeded. The witness was gunned down in a restaurant in Medellin, Colombia, before he could testify against Wedding," Bondi announced at the press conference.
The Takedown: An Eclectic Criminal Ring
While Wedding remains at large—believed to be hiding in Mexico—the FBI and international partners have struck a major blow against his inner circle.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced that 11 individuals are now in custody following a series of raids. The list of co-conspirators reads like a crime novel cast, including:
A Canadian criminal barrister.
A reggaeton musician.
The operator of the "gangland" news website used to track the witness.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli issued a stern warning to the fugitive Olympian:
"The murder of a witness in Colombia earlier this year was a cruel, cold-blooded act... This serves as a warning for drug lord Ryan Wedding: If convicted, you will never see the outside of a prison ever again."
The Manhunt Intensifies
Ryan Wedding has been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List since March 2025. The increase of the reward to $15 million places him in the highest tier of global targets.
"Whether you’re a kingpin or a dealer on the street, anyone who sells drugs to our kids will be arrested and prosecuted," AG Bondi vowed. "We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI’s Top 10 List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled."
The FBI urges anyone with information to contact them immediately, noting that Wedding should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.