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Former Canadian Olympic Snowboarder Pleads Not Guilty to Leading Billion-Dollar Drug Ring
A former Canadian Olympic snowboarder made his first U.S. court appearance Monday, pleading not guilty to charges of running a billion-dollar drug trafficking operation and orchestrating multiple killings. Ryan Wedding, who had been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, was arrested in Mexico last week after evading authorities for over a decade.
Wedding, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, appeared in federal court in Santa Ana, California, wearing a tan jail jumpsuit with his ankles chained. When U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Early asked if he had read the indictments against him, Wedding replied, “I’ve read them both, yes.”
U.S. authorities allege Wedding moved approximately 60 tons of cocaine between Colombia, Mexico, Canada, and Southern California under protection of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful drug organizations. According to a 2024 indictment, his operation had become the largest supplier of cocaine to Canada.
Mexican officials reported that Wedding turned himself in at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City following a yearlong multinational effort to apprehend him involving authorities from the United States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic. However, Wedding’s defense attorney, Anthony Colombo, disputed this account outside the courthouse.
“He was arrested,” Colombo told reporters after the hearing. “He did not surrender.” The attorney added that Wedding was “living in Mexico, not hiding out there” and described the situation as “a whirlwind” for his client, though he noted Wedding was in “good spirits.”
Judge Early ordered Wedding held in custody, stating he could not immediately identify conditions that would ensure public safety or guarantee Wedding’s appearance at future court dates, though bond consideration remains possible at a later date.
The arrest comes amid increasing cooperation between Mexican and U.S. authorities in targeting drug trafficking organizations. Mexico has stepped up extraditions of cartel members to the United States, partly in response to mounting pressure from the U.S., including recent threats from President Donald Trump about targeting drug trafficking operations south of the border.
According to court documents, Wedding’s organization sourced cocaine from Colombia and collaborated with Mexican cartels to transport drugs by boat and plane to Mexico before moving them into the U.S. using semi-trucks. The operation allegedly stored cocaine in Southern California before distributing it to Canada and other U.S. states.
The charges against Wedding include running a criminal enterprise, murder, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Prosecutors claim he directed the 2023 killings of two members of a Canadian family as retaliation for a stolen drug shipment and ordered another killing over a drug debt in 2024. Last year, he was additionally indicted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of a witness in Colombia to prevent his extradition to the U.S.
This is not Wedding’s first encounter with the U.S. justice system. He was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and served time in a U.S. prison, with records showing his release from Bureau of Prisons custody in 2011. He also faces separate drug charges in Canada dating back to 2015.
Wedding’s arrest represents a significant win for international law enforcement cooperation in targeting transnational drug trafficking operations. The FBI had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction when he was added to their Ten Most Wanted list in March.
Federal prosecutors declined to comment following Monday’s hearing. Wedding is scheduled to return to court on February 11, with a trial date set for March 24.
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8 Comments
This is a stark reminder that the world of elite sports is not immune to the lure of illicit activities. I hope the courts send a strong message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.
This is a shocking turn of events for a former Olympic athlete. The scale of the alleged drug trafficking operation is truly staggering. I wonder what led this snowboarder down such a dark path.
It’s sad to see someone with such talent and potential throw it all away. I hope the legal process can shed light on the motivations behind this criminal enterprise.
It’s disturbing to see how a promising athletic career can be derailed by involvement in the drug trade. I wonder if there were warning signs that authorities could have picked up on earlier.
The fact that this individual was on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for over a decade shows just how elusive and sophisticated these criminal operations can be.
Billion-dollar drug rings involving former Olympians are the stuff of movies, not real life. I’ll be following this case closely to see how it unfolds and what the consequences will be.
The Sinaloa Cartel’s involvement adds another layer of complexity to this case. It’s clear this former athlete was entangled in some very dangerous criminal networks.
The scope of this alleged drug smuggling operation is truly mind-boggling. I’m curious to learn more about how the authorities were finally able to apprehend this former Olympian.