Former Olympian Becomes FBI’s Most Wanted Drug Kingpin

LOS ANGELES, California — Ryan Wedding, once a promising athlete on Canada’s national ski team, is now one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives. At just 15 years old, Wedding was already making waves on the slopes, but recent accusations of crime have overshadowed his athletic achievements.

The 44-year-old is accused of orchestrating a murder and hiring hitmen to eliminate rival drug traffickers. Current U.S. officials say he is protected by the infamous Sinaloa cartel in Mexico, while he remains a target in the ongoing manhunt.

This week, Mexican authorities carried out coordinated raids on several properties associated with Wedding, resulting in the seizure of a motorcycle collection valued at $40 million, Olympic medals, luxury vehicles, and various artworks. The FBI’s Los Angeles division released photos displaying dozens of high-end motorcycles, underlining the scale of Wedding’s alleged criminal operation.

Wedding was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, to wealthy parents who owned a ski resort. As a teenager, he competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics but fell short of expectations, finishing 24th. This setback, according to prosecutors, marked the beginning of his spiral into a criminal lifestyle.

In 2008, Wedding was arrested in San Diego while attempting to buy cocaine; he was later convicted of drug conspiracy. After serving two years, Wedding was released but quickly reestablished himself in the drug trade.

By November 2025, he had been indicted again on multiple charges, including murder and drug trafficking, allegedly managing a vast operation that smuggled cocaine from Colombia into Mexico and was transported to the United States.

Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, emphasized his reach, stating that he was responsible for importing approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine annually into Los Angeles. She described him as controlling one of the most dangerous drug trafficking organizations globally.

Authorities reveal that Wedding’s empire employed extreme measures to maintain control, including putting a multimillion-dollar bounty on a federal witness. Tragically, this witness was murdered before he could testify.

As the manhunt intensifies, investigators suspect that Wedding may resort to drastic measures, including undergoing plastic surgery, to evade capture. Despite his wealth and resources, the walls appear to be closing in on him.