Ryan Wedding, a Canadian former Olympic snowboarder once celebrated for his athletic prowess, has now become infamous as one of the United States' most-wanted fugitives. Known by aliases such as "El Jefe," "Giant," and "Public Enemy," Wedding is accused of orchestrating a billion-dollar cross-border drug trafficking operation. His extensive criminal network has placed him among the top 10 most-wanted figures, with the U.S. Department of Justice charging him with cocaine trafficking and murder.
Wedding's drug empire allegedly spanned continents, reportedly moving hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and into Canada. This illicit operation included hiring hitmen to eliminate those obstructing his criminal activities. In addition to drug trafficking, Wedding's network is linked to several homicides. The former Olympian, who competed for Team Canada in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games, has transitioned from the slopes to a life of crime.
The stakes for capturing Wedding were high, with authorities offering a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest. Alan Hamilton, LAPD deputy chief, emphasized that with such a significant reward, there was nowhere safe for Wedding to hide.
Wedding's criminal history dates back to 2006 when he was named in a search warrant related to a marijuana-growing operation in British Columbia. His subsequent conviction for drug trafficking in 2010 resulted in a four-year prison sentence. Despite this, he allegedly continued his criminal activities, overseeing an operation that moved five metric tonnes of fentanyl monthly to cities across the United States and Canada.
Believed to be hiding under the protection of the Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico, Wedding's run from the law came to an end when Mexican law enforcement arrested him on October 8, 2024. He was transferred to the United States on February 27, marking a significant victory in the fight against international drug trafficking.