Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted by US is charged with orchestrating murder of witness

Former Olympic Snowboarder Faces Witness Killing Charges in Drug Trafficking Case

A former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, already wanted for running a multi-national drug trafficking network, is now facing additional charges in connection with the killing of a federal witness, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Wednesday.

Ryan Wedding is accused of orchestrating the January murder of a witness in Colombia in an attempt to avoid extradition to the United States. Authorities have arrested ten other defendants named in the federal indictment unsealed in California.

Federal officials have increased the reward for information leading to Wedding’s capture to $15 million. He currently appears on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list and is believed to be living in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel, one of the world’s most powerful drug trafficking organizations.

“Whether you are a street-level drug dealer or an international drug kingpin, we are coming for you,” Bondi told reporters at a Justice Department news conference. “We will find you and you will be accountable and held to justice for your crimes.”

Wedding, who operates under aliases including “El Jefe,” “Public Enemy,” and “James Conrad King,” was charged in 2024 with running an extensive drug trafficking operation. Authorities allege his network moves approximately 60 tons of cocaine annually using long-haul semi-trucks to transport drugs between Colombia, Mexico, Southern California, and Canada.

The case represents a significant intersection between professional sports, international organized crime, and cross-border law enforcement efforts. Wedding competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City as a snowboarder for Canada before allegedly turning to international drug trafficking.

According to investigators, Wedding and his co-conspirators used a Canadian website called “the Dirty News” to post a photograph of the witness to facilitate the killing. Following the identification, the witness was tracked to a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia, and shot in the head in January of this year.

Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor for the Central District of California, explained Wedding’s apparent motive: “Wedding placed the bounty on the victim’s head, and the erroneous belief that the victim’s death would result in the dismissal of criminal charges against him and his international drug trafficking ring, and would further ensure that he was not extradited to the United States. He was wrong.”

Law enforcement officials believe the case highlights the growing sophistication of transnational criminal organizations, which increasingly operate across multiple countries while employing advanced tactics to evade capture. The collaboration between Wedding and the Sinaloa cartel demonstrates how these networks form strategic alliances to maximize profits and protection.

The U.S. government is also offering rewards of up to $2 million for information leading to the arrest of others involved in the killing of the witness, underscoring the priority that federal authorities place on protecting those who cooperate with investigations.

This case follows a recent trend of intensified efforts by U.S. authorities to disrupt major drug trafficking networks operating across North America. In particular, law enforcement agencies have focused on targeting the leadership of these organizations and the violence they employ to maintain control.

As the manhunt for Wedding continues, authorities are coordinating with Mexican and Colombian officials to track his movements and dismantle his trafficking network, which has significant operations throughout North and South America.