Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding (full name Ryan James Wedding), once known for carving through icy slopes with precision and talent, has now become the subject of an international manhunt, accused of leading a sprawling drug-trafficking network and ordering multiple murders to protect it. His story has quickly shifted from athletic glory to one of the most unsettling criminal cases involving a former Olympian.
Authorities say Wedding, who represented Canada in the men’s parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Winter Olympics, spent years cultivating a second life far away from the world of sports. Investigators allege that behind the scenes, he operated a large-scale cocaine-smuggling empire that moved product from Colombia, through Mexico, and into North America. What began as whispers of his links to organised crime has now spiralled into a full-blown crisis, with U.S. prosecutors painting a picture of a man who traded medals and snowboards for violence, cartels, and multi-million-dollar drug pipelines.
According to charging documents released by U.S. authorities, Wedding used multiple aliases, including “El Jefe” and “Giant” to mask his activities. Prosecutors claim he oversaw an operation that not only trafficked massive quantities of cocaine but also carried out violent attacks to keep the business running. The allegations are chilling: Wedding is accused of ordering the murder of a federal witness in Medellín earlier this year, a man scheduled to testify against his organisation. Investigators say the witness was gunned down inside a restaurant after a bounty was placed on his head.
His alleged involvement doesn’t stop there. Law enforcement officials link the former Olympian’s network to a series of other killings, including a 2023 double homicide in Ontario where an innocent couple was mistakenly targeted over a missing drug shipment. Another victim was reportedly killed in mid-2024 following a dispute tied to drug debts. Authorities describe the organisation’s methods as calculated and brutal, with a willingness to eliminate anyone perceived as a threat.
The scale of the alleged criminal operation has prompted the FBI to place Wedding on its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Officials consider him “armed and dangerous”, warning that he may be heavily protected and actively moving across international borders. The reward for information leading to his capture has been set at an eye-catching $15 million, one of the highest bounties currently offered by the U.S. government. Investigators believe he may be hiding in Mexico, where he is suspected of receiving protection from cartel networks familiar with his drug-smuggling routes.
Despite the arrests of several of his reported associates, including a Canadian lawyer accused of helping orchestrate the killing of the Medellín witness, Wedding himself remains out of reach. Law enforcement officials across North America and South America are now coordinating efforts to track his movements. U.S. prosecutors insist that his organisation ranks among the most violent drug-trafficking groups they have encountered in recent years, with some investigators estimating that the network may have moved tens of thousands of kilograms of cocaine annually.
For many Canadians, the case has been difficult to grasp. Ryan Wedding was once a national athlete, a young man who represented his country on one of the world’s biggest stages. His transition from snowboarder to alleged drug kingpin raises unsettling questions about what went wrong and how someone with such a public profile could build a criminal empire operating across multiple countries.
Officials have promised an unrelenting pursuit. The U.S. Attorney General noted that law enforcement is prepared to dismantle every part of Wedding’s alleged network, emphasising that no level of influence or international reach will stop investigators from seeking justice. The FBI’s addition of Wedding to its most-wanted list signals how seriously the agency views the threat, especially given the pattern of violence associated with the case.
As the search intensifies, the story continues to unfold with new details and growing international attention. What was once the career of a celebrated athlete has turned into one of the most high-profile manhunts of the year. Authorities remain confident that it is only a matter of time before Ryan James Wedding is found, whether in Mexico, Canada, or somewhere else he believes he can hide.
For now, the world watches as the ex-Olympian’s downward spiral becomes a global criminal saga, raising a haunting question: how did someone who once stood under the bright lights of the Olympic Games become the fugitive at the center of a deadly drug empire?
