FBI Arrests Former Olympian Ryan Wedding in Mexico After U.S. Prosecutors Accuse Him of Leading Sinaloa-Linked Cocaine Kingpin Operation

U.S. authorities say 44-year-old Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who competed at the 2002 Winter Games, was taken into custody in Mexico City and flown to the United States to face federal charges.

“The 44-year-old has been accused of trafficking cocaine into the U”

ABC News

Officials reported he had been on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list with up to a $15 million reward, and video released by authorities showed him arriving in handcuffs at Ontario, California.

ABC News

Mexican officials and U.S. prosecutors described the arrest as the result of multinational cooperation involving Mexican, Canadian and U.S. agencies.

Prosecutors allege Wedding led a large transnational cocaine-trafficking network tied to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and faces charges including running a criminal enterprise, drug trafficking, money laundering, witness tampering and multiple murder counts.

Authorities say the organization moved substantial quantities of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California to Canada and the United States.

abc7

Officials and indictments variously described shipments ranging from hundreds of kilograms to roughly 60 metric tons routed through Southern California, and investigators say the operation generated more than $1 billion annually.

Prosecutors have also accused him of ordering killings, including the alleged slaying of a federal witness in Colombia, and of placing bounties to silence cooperators.

Investigators say the probe produced dozens of arrests and large seizures of cash, drugs and luxury assets linked to Wedding and associates.

“Prosecutors allege Ryan Wedding, who was arrested in Mexico, behind multibillion-dollar drug trafficking scheme”

Al Jazeera

Reported enforcement results include roughly 36 arrests, Treasury sanctions, and seizures described by different outlets as more than 2,300 kg of cocaine, 44 kg each of methamphetamine and fentanyl, eight firearms and over $55 million in illicit assets.

Authorities and media also reported confiscated vehicles, artwork, dozens of motorcycles and even Olympic medals connected to the case.

Media accounts differ on certain seizure totals and specific items seized, but broadly describe significant asset and drug forfeitures tied to the investigation.

Wedding's background as a once U.S.-sentenced offender and former Olympian is widely reported.

He was arrested in a 2008 FBI sting in San Diego and later convicted on conspiracy-to-distribute-cocaine charges.

Associated Press

He served a multi-year sentence and was released around 2011, after which U.S. prosecutors say he rebuilt a trafficking enterprise.

He was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list in March 2025 and was known in coverage by aliases including 'El Jefe' and 'Giant'.

Media outlets cite court filings and indictments to describe his alleged post-prison rise and links to associates arrested in different countries.

U.S. law enforcement and prosecutors framed the arrest as a major success in international cooperation, and outlets highlighted operational details differently.

“Topic:Drug Offences Canadian former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been arrested in Mexico”

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

FBI Director Kash Patel and other U.S. officials publicly praised Mexican partners, and some reports noted the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team and negotiations that led to a surrender at the U.S. embassy.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Other coverage emphasized limited public detail about how officials located Wedding and raised questions, for example about whether any reward will be paid.

Wedding is due in federal court in Los Angeles for an initial appearance, and authorities say the broader investigation and prosecutions are ongoing.