The transformation of an Olympic snowboarder into one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives

Ryan Wedding, who represented Canada in snowboarding at the 2002 Winter Olympics and finished 24th in the parallel giant slalom, has become one of the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. FBI Director Kash Patel likened him to infamous drug lords Pablo Escobar and El Chapo Guzman.

Authorities believe Wedding is hiding in Mexico with protection from the Sinaloa cartel. A $15 million reward has been offered for his capture in connection with alleged cocaine trafficking, money laundering, and multiple murders, in a case called Operation Giant Slalom.

Early Life and Olympic Career

Born in 1981 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Wedding grew up in a family of skiers. His grandparents owned a ski resort, and his uncle coached Canadas national womens ski team. Wedding joined the national snowboarding team at 15 and competed internationally in countries including Italy, France, Chile, Austria, and Japan. Known for his fearlessness on the slopes, he competed in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics but retired from competitive snowboarding soon after.

Entry into the Criminal World

After leaving sports, Wedding attended Simon Fraser University and worked as a nightclub bouncer in Vancouver, where he became involved in the drug trade. In June 2008, he was arrested in a sting operation for conspiring to distribute cocaine. Authorities found $100,000 in cash in a hotel room. While his co-defendants pleaded guilty, Wedding went to trial, was convicted in November 2009, and sentenced to four years in prison, being released in December 2011.

Alleged Criminal Enterprise

Federal prosecutors allege that after his release, Wedding led a large-scale criminal network trafficking cocaine between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Colombia. The operation reportedly included ordering multiple murders, including two in Ontario in November 2023 and another in May 2024, related to stolen shipments and drug debts. He is known by several aliases, including El Jefe, El Toro, and James Conrad King.

FBIs Most Wanted Status

Weddings criminal activities escalated after a federal witness was killed in Colombia in January 2025. In March 2025, he was added to the FBIs Ten Most Wanted list, with a reward initially set at $10 million, later increased to $15 million. The FBI described him as 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, and armed and dangerous.

Impact and Sanctions

Weddings operation is alleged to have trafficked 60 metric tons of cocaine annually, making him one of Canadas largest distributors. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned him and seized assets including a rare 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR Roadster valued at $13 million. Authorities continue to believe he is protected by the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico and urged the public to provide any information to the FBI or U.S. consulates. Conviction on continuing criminal enterprise charges could result in life imprisonment.

Author: Lucas Grant