FBI Raises Reward to $10M for Fugitive Olympic Snowboarder

LOS ANGELES, CA — The FBI has added Canadian ex-Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding to its list of ten most wanted fugitives, increasing the reward for information leading to his arrest to $10 million. The announcement was made at a news conference on Thursday following a lengthy investigation into his alleged leadership of a transnational drug trafficking organization.

Wedding, 43, who represented Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is facing multiple charges in the United States, including conspiracy to export cocaine, three counts of murder connected to a criminal enterprise, and attempted murder. According to U.S. officials, Wedding’s organization was responsible for smuggling five metric tonnes of fentanyl and other drugs into cities across the U.S. and Canada.

“The increase in the reward should make it clear: there is nowhere safe for Wedding to hide,” LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton stated during the press briefing. Authorities believe Wedding is currently residing in Mexico, purportedly under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel.

Previously known for his athletic achievements, statements from officials reveal a stark transformation. Cart Weiland, senior bureau official with the U.S. State Department, remarked, “He traded snow for another kind of powder.” Wedding’s descent into organized crime has placed him among the top fugitives sought by U.S. authorities.

The FBI released an updated photograph of Wedding, showing him wearing a blue baseball cap and displaying distinct tattoos. Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, warned of the danger Wedding poses, saying, “Wedding, who is wealthy, is dangerous and has connections in very high places.”

In a drastic highlighting of his criminal activity, Wedding, along with an alleged associate, Canadian Andrew Clark, is accused of orchestrating multiple murders in Ontario as part of their criminal enterprise. One such incident resulted in the deaths of Jagtar Singh Sidhu and Harbhajan Kaur Sidhu, victims of an attack seemingly linked to a drug-related dispute.

The reward increase follows the arrest of Clark in Mexico, where he was apprehended by local naval forces and recently extradited to the U.S. This collaboration among U.S. and Mexican authorities marks a critical step in combating the cross-border drug trafficking that has plagued both nations.

According to the Bureau, Wedding has been a fugitive since October 2023 and was previously listed with a $50,000 reward.

Officials continue to emphasize the urgency in locating Wedding, cautioning the public not to approach him should he be spotted, given his alleged involvement in violent crime.