A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder accused of leading a major drug operation has been arrested in Mexico and is being brought to the United States to face cocaine trafficking and murder charges, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
Ryan Wedding, 44, has been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, a designation reserved for the bureau’s highest-priority targets. The U.S. State Department recently offered a $15 million (€12.7 million) reward for information leading to his capture, underscoring the urgency of the search.
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In a post on X, Patel said Wedding—who has used the aliases “El Jefe,” “Giant” and “Public Enemy”—was taken into custody in Mexico last night and is being transported to the United States “to face justice.” Patel added that Wedding is believed to have been hiding in Mexico for more than a decade and has been wanted on charges for cocaine trafficking and murder since 2024.
Patel has previously described Wedding as a “modern day iteration of Pablo Escobar,” invoking the notorious Colombian drug lord who died in 1993. The comparison signals the scale of what authorities allege was an expansive smuggling network that moved cocaine and employed violence to protect its operations.
Seven people allegedly connected to Wedding’s cocaine smuggling operation were arrested in Canada in November, including his lawyer, according to Patel. The United States is seeking their extradition, part of a broader effort to dismantle the organization that investigators say Wedding helmed from hiding.
Wedding’s path to the Ten Most Wanted list starkly contrasts with his earlier public life. He represented Canada in snowboarding at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, competing in the parallel giant slalom and finishing 24th. His Olympic past and subsequent disappearance into Mexico have drawn attention to how, investigators say, a once-promising athlete became an alleged transnational trafficker.
Authorities did not immediately provide further details on the arrest location, the timing of Wedding’s expected arrival in the United States or which jurisdiction will first pursue charges. Patel’s announcement on X framed the detention as the culmination of a long-running manhunt that spanned borders and involved coordination with Mexican counterparts.
Wedding’s capture is poised to test the network of alleged associates swept up in the Canadian arrests. With U.S. prosecutors seeking extradition for those suspects and Wedding en route to American custody, the case now shifts from a global pursuit to a courtroom, where the government will lay out its allegations of cocaine trafficking and murder against the former Olympian and his purported lieutenants.
As law enforcement agencies prepare for the next phase, Patel’s public remarks—his comparison to Escobar and his emphasis on the decade-long pursuit—suggest prosecutors view the case as a marquee showdown against cross-border organized crime. Wedding remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
