MEXICO CITY — Ryan James Wedding, a Canadian former Olympic snowboarder, was arrested Thursday night in Mexico for allegedly running a violent transnational drug trafficking operation, FBI Director Kash Patel announced Friday.
Wedding, 44, is accused of overseeing a criminal enterprise linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, shipping hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California to the United States and Canada. Authorities say he enriched himself through the laundering of drug proceeds and was considered one of the most dangerous fugitives in North America.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Wedding was flown to the United States, where he will face charges stemming from a September 2024 superseding indictment that includes attempted murder and conspiracy related to his alleged drug enterprise. Wedding was also charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a federal witness who had been set to testify against him, according to court documents.
Wedding’s criminal history dates back to 2008, six years after representing Canada in snowboarding at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. Federal prosecutors allege that he traveled to San Diego with associates to purchase cocaine from an undercover FBI informant. He was convicted in 2009 of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and served 48 months in federal prison, released in December 2011. Authorities say he subsequently founded a new drug trafficking organization.
The FBI had listed Wedding on its “Ten Most Wanted” fugitives list in March 2025, offering a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture. Mexican authorities, working in coordination with U.S. law enforcement, seized assets believed to belong to Wedding last month, including motorcycles valued at $40 million, two Olympic medals, vehicles, drugs, artwork, and other items across Mexico City.
“Director Patel has worked tirelessly to bring fugitives to justice,” Bondi said. “We are grateful to Ambassador Ron Johnson and the Mexican authorities for their assistance in this case.”
Wedding’s alleged activities have drawn comparisons to notorious drug lords Pablo Escobar and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, highlighting the scale and reach of his alleged operations. Law enforcement officials say his arrest represents a major victory in dismantling a cross-border criminal network with links to Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
