Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been arrested in Mexico after spending more than a decade evading law enforcement while allegedly running a multinational drug trafficking network. Wedding, 44, was among the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives and was facing charges related to large-scale cocaine distribution and the murder of a federal witness. His capture represents a major cross-border law enforcement success and highlights the expanding international reach of organized crime investigations.

U.S. officials confirmed that Wedding was apprehended Thursday night and is now being transported to the United States. Authorities had previously offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction, underscoring the severity of the charges and the urgency of bringing him to justice. Wedding’s case has drawn intense attention due to his dramatic transformation from Olympic athlete to alleged cartel-linked kingpin.

International Manhunt and Capture in Mexico

Wedding was believed to have been hiding in Mexico under the protection of powerful criminal organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel. U.S. and Mexican authorities coordinated closely to track his movements and disrupt his network. According to officials, Wedding ultimately turned himself in at the U.S. embassy in Mexico, bringing an end to one of the most high-profile fugitive searches in recent years.

Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed that two detainees were transferred to U.S. custody following high-level meetings with American officials. One of them, later identified as Wedding, had been under surveillance for years. Investigators say he used multiple aliases, including “El Jefe,” “Public Enemy,” and “James Conrad Kin,” to avoid detection and continue his criminal operations.

The FBI described his arrest as a major step toward improving regional security across North America. Officials emphasized that multinational cooperation was critical in dismantling a criminal network that allegedly moved cocaine through Colombia, Mexico, Southern California, and Canada using semitrucks and maritime routes. Law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice, and Mexico’s Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana played central roles in the operation.

From Olympic Athlete to Alleged Drug Kingpin

Wedding once represented Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, competing in the men’s parallel giant slalom snowboarding event, where he finished 24th. His athletic career, however, was overshadowed by his later involvement in organized crime.

Federal prosecutors allege that Wedding resumed drug trafficking after his release from U.S. prison in 2010, where he had been serving a sentence for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Investigators believe he rebuilt his criminal enterprise with the backing of Mexican cartels, expanding his operations into a sophisticated network that trafficked high volumes of cocaine worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Authorities say Wedding orchestrated multiple killings to protect his operation and eliminate threats. In 2024, he was indicted for arranging the murder of a federal witness in Colombia. Prosecutors allege that Wedding and his co-conspirators used a Canadian website called “The Dirty News” to post a photograph of the witness, enabling hitmen to identify and assassinate him in Medellín. The witness was later followed to a restaurant and fatally shot in the head.

Wedding also faces long-standing drug trafficking charges in Canada dating back to 2015, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. His criminal footprint spans multiple jurisdictions, making his prosecution one of the most complex international cases in recent memory.

Legal Consequences and Extradition Proceedings

Wedding now faces a series of federal charges in the United States, including conspiracy to distribute cocaine, murder-for-hire, obstruction of justice, and participation in a continuing criminal enterprise. Prosecutors are expected to seek a life sentence if he is convicted on all counts.

Extradition proceedings are already underway to ensure Wedding stands trial in the United States. Legal experts note that his case could set new precedents for international cooperation in prosecuting fugitives who exploit cross-border legal gaps. The Justice Department is also working with Canadian authorities to coordinate parallel cases related to his alleged crimes north of the border.

Officials estimate that Wedding’s drug trafficking network generated revenues exceeding $500 million over the past decade, fueling violence and instability across multiple countries. Law enforcement agencies are continuing to investigate his associates and financial backers, with additional arrests expected.

As Wedding is transferred to U.S. custody, prosecutors say the case sends a powerful message that even high-profile fugitives with international connections are not beyond the reach of the law. The arrest marks a significant milestone in the fight against transnational organized crime and reinforces the growing role of multinational partnerships in global law enforcement.