Topline: Federal officials say Ryan Wedding lived under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel before his arrest in Mexico.
Published: January 27, 2026 8:47 am ET
Must Read
Ryan Wedding's extradition to the USA after being arrested in Mexico. (via FBI video)
MEXICO CITY, MX — Authorities in Mexico arrested Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and FBI Most Wanted fugitive, following an international manhunt.
Wedding, 43, was taken into custody months after his addition to the FBI’s List of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives in March 2025. Federal officials allege Wedding managed a violent drug trafficking organization that shipped large quantities of cocaine throughout North America, NBC reported.
The arrest follows a November indictment unsealed by the Department of Justice. That indictment charged Wedding and several other defendants with running a criminal enterprise and the murder of a federal witness.
Wedding competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He finished 24th in the men’s parallel giant slalom before transitioning into a life of organized crime, according to federal investigators cited by the Associated Press.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that Wedding controlled a prolific drug organization. Bondi stated Wedding worked in close coordination with the Sinaloa Cartel, the Mexico-based enterprise formerly led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
NBC reported that authorities believed Wedding lived in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel. Investigators believe he remained there for an extended period to evade prosecution in the United States and Canada.
The charges against Wedding include directing the 2023 murders of two people in Canada. He also faced several drug trafficking offenses filed the year prior to the murder charges.
U.S. authorities previously offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest. The FBI placed him on its most-wanted list due to the violent nature of the enterprise and his alleged role in orchestrating killings to protect the drug operation, as per the Associated Press.
Federal prosecutors allege Wedding’s organization moved tons of cocaine from South America through Mexico and into the United States and Canada. The group used a network of transportation hubs to distribute the narcotics, according to the Department of Justice.
A November indictment linked Wedding to the death of a witness who intended to provide information to federal investigators. Officials said the killing was part of a strategy to silence those who interfered with the organization’s logistics.
Wedding remained a fugitive for several years before his capture. Canadian and U.S. law enforcement agencies worked with Mexican authorities to track his movements.
The Sinaloa Cartel remains one of the most powerful criminal groups in Mexico. Its former leader, Guzmán, is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. federal prison.
Wedding was extradited to the United States to answer the charges in the unsealed indictment. If convicted of the most serious counts, he faces a mandatory life sentence in federal prison.
The FBI has not released specific details regarding the exact location of the arrest or the tactics used. People close to the investigation confirmed the arrest occurred without incident.
Legal representatives for Wedding have not yet issued a public statement. Wedding is one of several individuals named in the federal investigation into the transnational drug ring.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Ex-Olympian on FBI Most Wanted List Captured After Decade-Long Hunt
Federal officials say Ryan Wedding lived under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel before his arrest in Mexico.
By Kate Byrd
Published: January 27, 2026 8:47 am ET
Ryan Wedding's extradition to the USA after being arrested in Mexico. (via FBI video)
MEXICO CITY, MX — Authorities in Mexico arrested Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and FBI Most Wanted fugitive, following an international manhunt.
Wedding, 43, was taken into custody months after his addition to the FBI’s List of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives in March 2025. Federal officials allege Wedding managed a violent drug trafficking organization that shipped large quantities of cocaine throughout North America, NBC reported.
The arrest follows a November indictment unsealed by the Department of Justice. That indictment charged Wedding and several other defendants with running a criminal enterprise and the murder of a federal witness.
Wedding competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He finished 24th in the men’s parallel giant slalom before transitioning into a life of organized crime, according to federal investigators cited by the Associated Press.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that Wedding controlled a prolific drug organization. Bondi stated Wedding worked in close coordination with the Sinaloa Cartel, the Mexico-based enterprise formerly led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
NBC reported that authorities believed Wedding lived in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel. Investigators believe he remained there for an extended period to evade prosecution in the United States and Canada.
The charges against Wedding include directing the 2023 murders of two people in Canada. He also faced several drug trafficking offenses filed the year prior to the murder charges.
U.S. authorities previously offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest. The FBI placed him on its most-wanted list due to the violent nature of the enterprise and his alleged role in orchestrating killings to protect the drug operation, as per the Associated Press.
Federal prosecutors allege Wedding’s organization moved tons of cocaine from South America through Mexico and into the United States and Canada. The group used a network of transportation hubs to distribute the narcotics, according to the Department of Justice.
A November indictment linked Wedding to the death of a witness who intended to provide information to federal investigators. Officials said the killing was part of a strategy to silence those who interfered with the organization’s logistics.
Wedding remained a fugitive for several years before his capture. Canadian and U.S. law enforcement agencies worked with Mexican authorities to track his movements.
The Sinaloa Cartel remains one of the most powerful criminal groups in Mexico. Its former leader, Guzmán, is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. federal prison.
Wedding was extradited to the United States to answer the charges in the unsealed indictment. If convicted of the most serious counts, he faces a mandatory life sentence in federal prison.
The FBI has not released specific details regarding the exact location of the arrest or the tactics used. People close to the investigation confirmed the arrest occurred without incident.
Legal representatives for Wedding have not yet issued a public statement. Wedding is one of several individuals named in the federal investigation into the transnational drug ring.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Ex-Olympian on FBI Most Wanted List Captured After Decade-Long Hunt
Federal officials say Ryan Wedding lived under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel before his arrest in Mexico.
By Kate Byrd
Published: January 27, 2026 8:47 am ET
Ryan Wedding's extradition to the USA after being arrested in Mexico. (via FBI video)
MEXICO CITY, MX — Authorities in Mexico arrested Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and FBI Most Wanted fugitive, following an international manhunt.
Wedding, 43, was taken into custody months after his addition to the FBI’s List of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives in March 2025. Federal officials allege Wedding managed a violent drug trafficking organization that shipped large quantities of cocaine throughout North America, NBC reported.
The arrest follows a November indictment unsealed by the Department of Justice. That indictment charged Wedding and several other defendants with running a criminal enterprise and the murder of a federal witness.
Wedding competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He finished 24th in the men’s parallel giant slalom before transitioning into a life of organized crime, according to federal investigators cited by the Associated Press.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that Wedding controlled a prolific drug organization. Bondi stated Wedding worked in close coordination with the Sinaloa Cartel, the Mexico-based enterprise formerly led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
NBC reported that authorities believed Wedding lived in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel. Investigators believe he remained there for an extended period to evade prosecution in the United States and Canada.
The charges against Wedding include directing the 2023 murders of two people in Canada. He also faced several drug trafficking offenses filed the year prior to the murder charges.
U.S. authorities previously offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest. The FBI placed him on its most-wanted list due to the violent nature of the enterprise and his alleged role in orchestrating killings to protect the drug operation, as per the Associated Press.
Federal prosecutors allege Wedding’s organization moved tons of cocaine from South America through Mexico and into the United States and Canada. The group used a network of transportation hubs to distribute the narcotics, according to the Department of Justice.
A November indictment linked Wedding to the death of a witness who intended to provide information to federal investigators. Officials said the killing was part of a strategy to silence those who interfered with the organization’s logistics.
Wedding remained a fugitive for several years before his capture. Canadian and U.S. law enforcement agencies worked with Mexican authorities to track his movements.
The Sinaloa Cartel remains one of the most powerful criminal groups in Mexico. Its former leader, Guzmán, is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. federal prison.
Wedding was extradited to the United States to answer the charges in the unsealed indictment. If convicted of the most serious counts, he faces a mandatory life sentence in federal prison.
The FBI has not released specific details regarding the exact location of the arrest or the tactics used. People close to the investigation confirmed the arrest occurred without incident.
Legal representatives for Wedding have not yet issued a public statement. Wedding is one of several individuals named in the federal investigation into the transnational drug ring.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
