Ex-Olympian’s $15 Million Bounty STUNS FBI

London,,Uk,-,February,15th,2018:,The,Olympic,Symbol,,Made

A former Olympic athlete who once represented his nation’s honor has become America’s most wanted drug kingpin, with the FBI offering an unprecedented $15 million bounty for his capture.

Story Overview

FBI releases new photo of fugitive Ryan Wedding, former Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned alleged cocaine kingpin
Reward increased to $15 million, reportedly the highest on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list
Wedding accused of running global trafficking network tied to Sinaloa Cartel and ordering multiple murders
Believed hiding in Mexico with cartel protection after allegedly ordering witness assassination

From Olympic Dreams to Criminal Empire

Ryan James Wedding’s transformation from Olympic competitor to alleged global drug lord represents one of the most shocking criminal falls from grace in recent memory. Wedding competed for Canada in men’s parallel giant slalom snowboarding at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, representing the pinnacle of athletic achievement and national pride. Federal authorities now describe him as controlling “one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world” that works closely with Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa Cartel.

The Department of Justice alleges Wedding evolved from his post-athletic career into running a multinational cocaine trafficking operation moving multi-ton shipments from Colombia through Mexico into the United States and Canada. Prosecutors claim he became the dominant cocaine distributor in Canada, controlling distribution hubs and wholesale supply networks that generated massive profits for both his organization and cartel partners.

Authorities have released new photos of Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympian snowboarder turned alleged drug kingpin who is on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

FBI Director Kash Patel has called Wedding a "modern-day" Pablo Escobar. https://t.co/GD6L7w514O pic.twitter.com/TbXOuRF5Y6

— ABC News (@ABC) December 9, 2025

Trail of Violence and Murder Allegations

Wedding’s alleged criminal enterprise extends far beyond drug trafficking into contract murder and witness intimidation. Federal indictments charge him with ordering or directing multiple killings, including the November 2023 murders of two individuals in Mexico during a cartel-related dispute. Most disturbingly, authorities allege Wedding ordered the assassination of federal witness Jonathan Acebedo Garcia, who was murdered in a Medellín, Colombia restaurant on January 31, 2025, just days before his scheduled testimony against Wedding.

The violence allegedly includes innocent victims, with FBI officials reporting that a married couple was mistakenly targeted and killed due to misidentification in a murder plot linked to Wedding’s organization. This pattern of ruthless elimination of perceived threats demonstrates the callous disregard for human life that characterizes cartel-style operations, undermining public safety and the rule of law that Americans depend on for security.

Manhunt Intensifies with New Intelligence

The FBI’s release of a new photograph believed to be a selfie taken by Wedding in Mexico during summer 2024 represents a significant development in the international manhunt. The image shows him shirtless with a distinctive lion tattoo on his chest, providing law enforcement and the public with updated identification markers as his appearance may have changed during his time as a fugitive. Wedding was added to the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on March 6, 2025, reflecting the high priority federal authorities placed on his capture.

Authorities believe Wedding remains in Mexico, frequently changing locations and using aliases while protected by his Sinaloa Cartel connections. The $15 million reward represents an extraordinary commitment of resources that signals the threat level Wedding poses to American communities suffering from the cocaine epidemic his network allegedly fueled. While ten co-conspirators have been arrested, Wedding’s continued freedom allows his criminal organization to potentially regroup and continue poisoning communities across North America.