FBI's Most Wanted — ARRESTED! Olympic Snowboarder Ryan Wedding In Custody After Being Accused of Running Drug Empire and 'Ordering Murder of Witness'
Olympic snowboarder and alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding has been captured.
Jan. 23 2026, Published 11:36 a.m. ET
A former Olympic snowboarder turned drug kingpin has been arrested after a global manhunt, RadarOnline.com can report.
Ryan Wedding is accused of having orchestrated an international drug ring that was responsible for shipping approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine to the US and Canada from Colombia. He also reportedly had a hand in multiple murders.
FBI's Most Wanted
Wedding is accused of trafficking tons of cocaine into the US and several murders.
Wedding was added to the FBI's list of 10 most wanted fugitives in March of 2024, with authorities offering a $15million reward for information leading to his arrest and prosecution.
The 44-year-old, who represented Canada during the 2002 Winter Olympics, was indicted and charged with eight felonies, including three counts of murder and one count of attempt to commit murder.
Murder Charges
The FBI had offered a $15million reward for his capture.
Last November, a grand jury indictment against Wedding added charges of putting a hit out on a federal witness who was expected to testify against him.
The witness was gunned down at a restaurant in Medellin, Colombia, on January 31, before he could be called to testify against the fugitive drug lord. He was executed with five bullets to the head, and his assailants remain at large.
Wedding Was an Alleged Drug Kingpin
Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have led the search for Wedding.
Details of his capture are expected to be revealed Friday by Attorney General Pam Bondi, but it is believed Wedding had been living in Mexico and was working with the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. FBI Director Kash Patel compared him to infamous drug leaders like Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and Pablo Escobar.
At a November update, Patel said: "Ryan Wedding and his associates allegedly imported tons of cocaine each year from Colombia through Mexico and onto the streets of US communities.
"His criminal activities and violent actions will not be tolerated, and this is a clear signal that the FBI will use our resources and expertise to find Ryan Wedding and bring him and his associates to justice."
Bondi added at the time: "We will not rest until his name is taken off the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List, and his narco-trafficking organization lies dismantled."
'From Shredding Powder to Distributing Powder'
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Wedding was a former Olympic snowboarder before his life of crime.
Wedding competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, as part of Canada's snowboarding team. He came in 24th in the men's parallel giant slalom snowboarding event and quit sports after the games to lead a life of crime.
He was indicted in 2024 and charged with running a continuing criminal enterprise and assorted drug trafficking charges. In addition to the hit on the witness, Wedding was also accused of ordering the November 2023 double murder of two men in Canada over a stolen drug shipment that passed through California. One person survived that shooting but suffered serious injuries.
Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, previously said: "Ryan Wedding’s athletic drive snowballed into a life of violence, and instead of conquering mountains, he mastered a deadly drug distribution enterprise and will continue to order murders while he enjoys protection by his cartel associates and others."
He added: "Wedding went from shredding powder on the slopes at the Olympics to distributing powder cocaine on the streets of U.S. cities and in his native Canada."
If convicted, Wedding could face a mandatory minimum penalty of life in federal prison.
