Ryan Wedding reached the pinnacle of winter sports in 2002, when the snowboarder represented Canada in the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. That was his last competitive snowboarding endeavor, but it appears he didn't leave the snow behind entirely.

The U.S. government announced Wednesday that Wedding, 44, has been indicted for his alleged involvement in trafficking cocaine through Colombia and Mexico for distribution in the U.S. and Canada. Wedding was initially indicted in 2024 but is facing additional charges now, most notably the murder of a U.S. federal witness and money laundering. According to the U.S. government, Wedding is currently running his criminal operation while hiding in Mexico.

Who is Ryan Wedding?

An Ontario native, Wedding grew up around winter sports as his maternal grandparents owned a ski resort, his uncle was coach of the Canadian National Alpine Ski Team and his father was a competitive skier. Wedding made the Canadian National Ski Team at age 15 then proceeded to medal in the 1999 and 2001 world championships. In his lone Olympics appearance in 2002, he finished 24th in the men's parallel giant slalom.

Wedding's name first circulated in law enforcement circles in 2006, when police named him in a search warrant for a marijuana grow operation in British Columbia. He wasn't charged at the time.

Two years later, however, Wedding was arrested in a U.S. sting operation for attempting to purchase 24 kilograms of cocaine, and in 2010, he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Wedding spent more than a year in prison and is believed to have become a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa drug cartel shortly after.

What is Ryan Wedding charged with?

  • Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine
  • Conspiracy to export cocaine
  • Conspiracy to commit murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crime
  • Murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crime
  • Conspiracy to tamper with a witness, victim, or informant
  • Tampering with a witness, victim, or informant
  • Conspiracy to retaliate against a witness, victim, or informant
  • Retaliation against a witness, victim, or informant
  • Conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

Is Ryan Wedding on the FBI's most wanted list?

Yes, the FBI placed Wedding on its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in March 2025.

What has the U.S. government said about Wedding?

“Today we’re exposing the network of associates and enablers behind Ryan Wedding — one of the most notorious criminals and narcotraffickers still evading justice,” said John K. Hurley, under secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, in a statement. “Treasury is joining with the FBI and the Department of Justice to cut Wedding and his criminal partners off from the U.S. financial system and help dismantle the network they rely on. Our goal is simple: make it difficult for criminals like this to profit from poisoning our communities.”

"He's responsible for a narco terrorism program we have not seen in a long time," FBI director Kash Patel said during a press conference with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles field office. "You do not get to be a drug dealer and evade the law."

“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.

What's the reward for information on Wedding?

It's now $15 million, up from $10 million in March.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Who is Ryan Wedding? Ex-Canadian Olympian on FBI most wanted list

Reporting by Wajih AlBaroudi, For The Win / For The Win

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect