FBI releases new image of Canadian former Olympian wanted on murder and drug charges – CP24

The FBI has released a new image of Ryan James Wedding, the Canadian ex-Olympian allegedly behind a deadly international drug gang.

The undated image shows Wedding looking at his phone in an undisclosed location. The former Olympic snowboarder is accused of ordering a number of murders in Canada as head of the alleged drug trafficking network. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Wedding is one of 16 defendants listed in a U.S. indictment unsealed last month. At the time, police released an image of Wedding, who appeared to have long hair and a patchy beard. In the updated image, it can be seen that Wedding has changed his appearance slightly with noticeably shorter hair.

Nine other Canadians are also accused of participating in the network that allegedly trafficked 1,800 kilos of cocaine through Colombia, Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.

The 43-year-old is believed to live in Mexico and police have linked him to at least three fatal shootings north of the border, including the killing of a couple in Caledon, Ont. which investigators say were innocent.

Wedding is the main defendant in the indictment and is wanted on eight charges, including three counts of murder in connection with an ongoing criminal enterprise. His alleged second-in-command, 34-year-old Canadian Andrew Clark, is in custody.

In addition to the charges, Wedding faces separate “unresolved” drug trafficking charges in Canada dating back to 2015, the RCMP said.

According to a court extradition request obtained by CTV News Toronto last month, U.S. law enforcement knew Wedding’s whereabouts in January 2024 but did not arrest him. A statement of facts included in the petition stated that a cooperating witness met with Wedding and Clark sometime that month in Mexico City.

Operation Giant Slalom: What to know about the Canadians busted in a drug ring led by a former Olympian

The former Olympic snowboarder competed for Canada at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. He finished 24th in the parallel giant slalom.

Four years later, Wedding was named, but never charged, in a search warrant in Maple Ridge, B.C., investigating an illegal marijuana farm. In 2010, he was arrested and subsequently convicted for trying to buy cocaine from a US government agent, and sentenced to four years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said last month that investigators believe Wedding resumed drug trafficking after his release from prison for his 2010 conviction and has since been protected by Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel.

The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for his arrest.