Olympian wanted by FBI on drug ring charges

Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder from Canada, has found himself in serious trouble with the law. At 43 years old, he has been placed on the FBI's list of the ten most wanted fugitives. The reason for this is quite alarming; Wedding is accused of being the leader of a violent drug trafficking operation that spans across countries. According to the FBI, he allegedly shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and southern California, all the way to various locations in Canada and the United States. In addition to drug trafficking, he is also linked to multiple murders and an attempted murder that were carried out to protect and further his drug business. The FBI is offering a staggering reward of up to $10 million for any information that leads to his arrest or conviction. Investigators believe that Wedding may be living in Mexico, but they have not ruled out the possibility of him being in the United States, Canada, or other Latin American countries. It remains unclear whether he has legal representation. Wedding represented Canada in the Giant Slalom snowboarding event during the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City. The FBI has reported that he goes by several aliases, including 'El Jefe,' 'Giant,' 'Public Enemy,' 'James Conrad King,' and 'Jesse King. ' In June 2024, Wedding and his accomplice, Andrew Clark, who is also Canadian and 34 years old, were charged in California with serious offenses. These charges include running a continuing criminal enterprise, committing murder in connection with that enterprise, and various drug-related crimes. Clark was arrested by Mexican authorities last October and was one of 29 fugitives who were extradited to the United States from Mexico just last week. The indictment from the U. S. alleges that Wedding and Clark were responsible for the murders of two family members in Ontario, Canada, on November 20, 2023. This was reportedly in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment that had passed through southern California. Another family member was shot but survived, although they suffered serious injuries. The FBI also claims that Wedding and Clark ordered the murder of another individual on May 18, 2024, due to a drug debt. Akil Davis, the assistant director of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, stated in a press release that the alleged murders make Wedding a very dangerous individual. He emphasized that the addition of Wedding to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, along with the significant reward offered by the State Department, will encourage the public to assist in capturing him before he can harm anyone else.