In a dramatic end to a years-long international manhunt, Ryan James Wedding — a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who became one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives — was arrested in Mexico City and brought into U.S. custody to face a sweeping set of federal charges tied to drug trafficking, organized crime and murder. 

Olympic Beginnings and Alleged Descent into Crime

Born on September 14, 1981, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Wedding competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in the parallel giant slalom snowboarding event. After his athletic career, U.S. and Canadian authorities later alleged he became involved in transnational drug trafficking and organized crime—a stark transformation from his early athletic promise. 

By March 2025, Wedding had been placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, with a reward of up to $15 million offered for information leading to his capture. U.S. prosecutors described him as the alleged head of a multimillion-dollar narcotics enterprise that moved massive quantities of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico into the United States and Canada, exploiting smuggling routes and large distribution hubs in Southern California. 

A Decade on the Run

Wedding was said to have lived in Mexico for more than a decade with the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the country’s most notorious criminal networks. During that period, U.S. authorities charged him with leading an operation that generated upwards of $1 billion annually through the illicit trade in cocaine and other drugs. 

His network reportedly shipped approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine a year and was linked to multiple killings allegedly ordered to protect the organization or silence perceived threats—including a federal witness gunned down in a Colombian restaurant after allegedly having a bounty placed on his head. 

The Arrest and Extradition

Wedding was apprehended in Mexico City on January 22, 2026, after years of international pursuit by U.S. and Mexican authorities. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel publicly announced his arrest at a news conference in Ontario, California, as federal agents escorted him off a plane upon arrival. 

Officials said Mexican partners cooperated in the operation, which also saw arrests of 36 others connected to Wedding’s alleged organization and the seizure of assets, including drugs, luxury vehicles, artwork and cash believed tied to the criminal enterprise. 

At the press briefing, Patel drew stark comparisons, calling Wedding “a modern-day El Chapo and modern-day Pablo Escobar,” references to infamous drug lords whose networks similarly spanned international borders and inflicted widespread harm. 

Charges and Future Proceedings

Wedding now faces a federal indictment in the United States that includes:

• Drug trafficking

• Continuing criminal enterprise

• Conspiracy to distribute cocaine

• Murder and attempted murder in aid of racketeering activities

• Money laundering and witness tampering

Prosecutors have said the crimes spanned numerous jurisdictions and years, representing one of the largest alleged transnational narcotics operations ever pursued by U.S. authorities. 

Officials have indicated Wedding is scheduled to appear in federal court in California, where he will formally face the charges brought against him.

International Law Enforcement Collaboration

The case underscores extensive cooperation between U.S., Mexican and Canadian law enforcement agencies. Michael Duheme, Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, lauded the arrest as a testament to multinational efforts to combat organized crime across borders. 

Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters, Los Angeles Times