The FBI reports that a Canadian individual is still at large in one of the most significant global criminal inquiries, with alleged support from the influential Sinaloa drug cartel and other criminal factions in Mexico. Ryan Wedding has been evading authorities since 2015, facing charges related to drug offenses, conspiracy, and orchestrating murders. Due to his elusive nature, the U.S. State Department has raised the reward for his apprehension to $15 million US.
Ryan Wedding, once a Canadian Olympian, gained prominence during the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Following a skiing background, Wedding transitioned to snowboarding during his youth in British Columbia. Despite competing in snowboarding at the Olympics, he did not secure a medal. His sports career ceased after his 2008 arrest in California for attempting to purchase cocaine, allegedly working for a drug kingpin in British Columbia. Subsequently, Wedding faced charges in Montreal in 2015 for involvement in a large-scale cocaine trafficking scheme before fleeing to Mexico, where he has remained on the lam.
Law enforcement believes that Ryan Wedding, now 44 years old, resides in Mexico, overseeing a significant drug trafficking network shielded by the Sinaloa cartel, a notorious criminal organization. However, authorities have not discounted the possibility of him operating from other countries such as the United States, Canada, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, or Costa Rica. Despite a $10 million reward, Wedding has evaded capture for years, exploiting his connections within the Mexican cartels.
The FBI asserts that Wedding has repeatedly dodged arrest over the past decade due to his affiliations with the Sinaloa cartel and other Mexican criminal groups. Protected by a vast network associated with the cartel, Wedding employs threats of violence and murder while being aided by accomplices who warn him of impending arrests, facilitating his relocation worldwide. Recent reports indicate that Mexican federal agents are collaborating in the search for Wedding, emphasizing the urgency of his capture.
Described as the primary cocaine distributor in Canada and the leader of a prolific drug trafficking syndicate, Wedding is accused of importing substantial quantities of drugs into North America, encompassing cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. FBI Director Kash Patel likened Wedding to infamous drug lords such as Pablo Escobar and El Chapo Guzman, highlighting the severity of his criminal operations.
Wedding stands accused of orchestrating numerous murders globally, including the assassination of a U.S. federal witness in Colombia. Utilizing a Canadian website to locate the witness, Wedding’s ruthless tactics and meticulous planning have earned him a place on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since March 2025. Recent arrests linked to Wedding’s case, including his lawyer who allegedly advised him to eliminate the witness, underscore the ongoing efforts to bring him to justice.
Despite previous arrests associated with Wedding, the U.S. government and international authorities remain resolute in their pursuit of the fugitive. Chris Landberg, a senior official at the U.S. State Department, emphasized that no individual, even a former Olympian, is exempt from the law.