Ryan James Wedding, a former Team Canada Olympic snowboarder, has been eluding authorities for over a decade while allegedly heading a deadly, cross-border drug-smuggling operation. Wanted by the FBI as one of the top 10 fugitives since March, the U.S. State Department is offering a $10 million US reward for information leading to his apprehension. Despite numerous efforts to capture him, Wedding, aged 43, has managed to stay ahead of U.S. and Canadian law enforcement agencies through a complex strategy involving technology, financial resources, and influential connections.
Originally from Thunder Bay, Ont., Wedding transitioned from a promising snowboarding career to a criminal path. After being detained in a sting operation in California in 2008 for attempting to purchase cocaine, Wedding served over three years in U.S. penitentiaries. Subsequently, he relocated to Montreal and was charged by the RCMP in April 2015 for involvement in a significant cocaine importation scheme. Since then, he has been on the run, believed to have moved to Mexico, overseeing the trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine throughout North America.
Wedding’s network benefits from ties to Mexico’s powerful drug cartels, particularly the Sinaloa cartel, potentially shielding him from authorities. The FBI suggests he might be under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel, known for its widespread influence in Mexico. Furthermore, Wedding is suspected of collaborating with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, a rival of the Sinaloa cartel, through his associate Andrew Clark, who was arrested in Mexico last year.
Having amassed significant wealth and connections, Wedding is believed to have evaded capture by utilizing a network of informants to warn him of impending law enforcement actions. His criminal enterprise extends beyond North America, with potential allies in other countries, including Colombia and Dubai. Reports indicate that Wedding’s organization has been linked to numerous violent acts, including targeted assassinations and drug-related murders, demonstrating the group’s ruthlessness and reach.
Despite ongoing efforts to track him down, Wedding continues to evade authorities by leveraging encrypted communications and money laundering techniques. His operation reportedly generates substantial profits, with funds being laundered through cryptocurrency transactions, complicating investigative efforts. With a history of altering his appearance, Wedding’s ability to adapt and evade capture poses a significant challenge to law enforcement agencies, who remain determined to bring him to justice.