WASHINGTON D.C January 23, 2026 – In a major breakthrough for U.S. law enforcement, Ryan James Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned alleged international drug kingpin, has been apprehended in Mexico City and extradited to the United States to face serious charges including drug trafficking, murder, and money laundering. The arrest, announced by FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pamela Bondi, marks the end of a nearly year-long manhunt for one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.
Wedding, 44, represented Canada in the men’s parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. However, authorities allege that after his athletic career, he transitioned into a high-level operative within the Sinaloa Cartel, orchestrating the smuggling of massive quantities of cocaine across North America. He is accused of leading a transnational criminal enterprise responsible for distributing tens of thousands of kilograms of cocaine, as well as ordering multiple murders, including the killing of federal witnesses to protect his operations.
The fugitive was captured on the night of January 22, 2026, in Mexico City with assistance from Mexican authorities and U.S. Ambassador Ron Johnson. He was swiftly flown to Southern California, arriving at Ontario International Airport on January 23, where Director Patel held a press conference to detail the operation. Patel compared Wedding to notorious drug lords like Pablo Escobar and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, emphasizing the scale of his alleged activities.
Attorney General Bondi highlighted the arrest on X, stating: “At my direction, Department of Justice agents @FBI have apprehended yet another member of the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted List: Ryan Wedding, the onetime Olympian snowboarder-turned alleged violent cocaine kingpin. Wedding was flown to the United States where he will face justice. This is a direct result of President Trump’s law-and-order leadership.” She credited Director Patel, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, and international partners for the successful capture.
Wedding had been on the run since at least 2014, following earlier charges. He was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted list in March 2025, with a reward escalating to $15 million by November of that year after additional indictments for witness intimidation and related crimes. This is not Wedding’s first brush with the law; in 2009, he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine after a sting operation involving an undercover FBI informant.
Authorities believe Wedding’s network was responsible for violent acts, including the January 2025 murder of a federal witness in Medellín, Colombia. In November 2025, six more individuals connected to his operation, including his attorney, were arrested.
Wedding is expected to make his initial court appearance in U.S. federal court on Monday, January 26, 2026. This arrest underscores the ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to combat international drug trafficking and dismantle cartel operations.
Life News Agency will continue to monitor developments in this case.
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