LOS ANGELES, CA — A former Olympic snowboarder has risen to infamy as one of the most wanted criminals in the world. Ryan James Wedding, 43, once celebrated for competing in the 2002 Winter Olympics, now faces charges for running a violent international drug trafficking operation responsible for shipping more than 1,000 pounds of cocaine across North America. The FBI announced Thursday that Wedding, whose aliases include “El Jefe,” “Giant,” “Public Enemy,” “James Conrad King,” and “Jesse King,” has earned a spot on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
Wedding, who was born in Thunder Bay, Canada, and competed in the Giant Slalom snowboarding event in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, has now become a symbol of the dangerous intersection between sports and organized crime. While his Olympic career ended without a medal, his subsequent criminal activities have drawn the attention of law enforcement agencies worldwide.
In a recent press release, Akil Davis, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, described Wedding as “a very dangerous man” who had allegedly orchestrated multiple murders as part of his criminal enterprise. “Wedding went from shredding powder on the slopes at the Olympics to distributing powder cocaine on the streets of U.S. cities and in his native Canada,” Davis said.
Wedding’s drug empire was built on a transnational network that spanned from Mexico to Canada, with shipments of cocaine passing through Southern California. The drugs were held in stash houses before being transported by long-haul trucks to Canada. Along the way, numerous individuals were allegedly murdered, some in retaliation for stolen drug shipments or as a result of disputes over drug debts.
In a June indictment, Wedding and his second-in-command, Andrew Clark, 34, were charged with a range of crimes, including running a continuing criminal enterprise, committing murders in connection with their illegal operations, and conspiring to distribute cocaine. Clark was arrested by Mexican authorities last October, but Wedding remains at large. Investigators believe that Wedding is hiding in Mexico, though they have not ruled out the possibility that he could be in the United States, Canada, or other parts of Central America.
The FBI has intensified its search for Wedding, offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has authorized a stunning $10 million reward under the Narcotics Rewards Program. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the reward underscores the government’s commitment to “disrupt transnational crime globally” and bring criminals like Wedding to justice.
In an alarming development, federal authorities revealed that Wedding’s alleged organization was behind the murders of two members of a family in Ontario, Canada, in November 2023. The killings were reportedly carried out in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment that had passed through Southern California. Another murder in Ontario was also linked to Wedding’s cartel in May 2023, and the murder of a fourth victim was allegedly tied to a drug debt.
The investigation into Wedding’s operation has yielded significant results. Law enforcement officials seized over one ton of cocaine, firearms, ammunition, and millions of dollars in both cash and cryptocurrency. Prosecutors have estimated that Wedding’s network was responsible for the shipment of roughly 1.8 metric tons of cocaine, with a street value of up to $25 million.
As the search for Wedding continues, law enforcement officials are urging the public to come forward with any information that could lead to his capture. “The former Canadian snowboarder unleashed an avalanche of death and destruction, here and abroad,” said Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division. “Today’s announcement beams an even brighter searchlight on him.”
If convicted, Wedding and his associates could face life in federal prison on charges of murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking.
As authorities continue to close in on him, the world watches to see whether this former Olympic athlete will soon be captured and brought to justice for his alleged criminal activities.