Olympic Hero TRANSFORMS Into Cartel Kingpin

Bags of white powder with scissors in cardboard box.

A former Olympic athlete who represented Canada on the world stage has been arrested after allegedly transforming into a cartel kingpin responsible for smuggling tons of cocaine and ordering the murders of witnesses who threatened to expose his criminal empire.

Story Snapshot

Ryan Wedding, 44-year-old former Olympic snowboarder, arrested in Mexico after months on FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list with $15 million reward
Accused of leading transnational drug operation smuggling 6 metric tons of cocaine yearly through Sinaloa Cartel connections
Faces federal charges for orchestrating multiple murders, including witness killings in U.S., Canada, and Colombia to evade prosecution
FBI Director Kash Patel describes him as “modern-day Pablo Escobar,” marking major victory in Trump administration’s war on cartels

From Olympic Glory to Cartel Leadership

Ryan Wedding competed for Canada in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in parallel giant slalom, representing his country on snowboarding’s biggest stage. Within years of his athletic career ending, Wedding descended into criminal enterprise, starting with a 2006 marijuana grow operation raid that netted 6,800 plants worth $10 million. His 2010 conviction for attempting to purchase cocaine from an undercover agent marked his entry into harder drugs. After serving four years and being released in 2011, Wedding allegedly fled to Mexico and embedded himself within the Sinaloa Cartel, earning aliases including “El Jefe,” “Giant,” and “Public Enemy” while building a cocaine smuggling empire.

Multi-Ton Cocaine Operation and Brutal Enforcement

Federal prosecutors allege Wedding orchestrated a sophisticated trafficking network that transported multi-ton quantities of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and into the United States and Canada using semitrucks. The operation reportedly moved approximately six metric tons of cocaine annually, generating massive profits that Wedding laundered through various assets. Authorities seized a $13 million Mercedes and $40 million worth of motorcycles during the investigation. Wedding allegedly operated as the dominant cocaine distributor in Canada while maintaining connections with Iranian and Russian smugglers. His rise from small-time marijuana grower to international drug trafficker demonstrates how criminal enterprises exploit porous borders and cartel infrastructure—precisely the national security threats President Trump campaigned on eliminating.

Murder Charges Reveal Violent Enforcement Tactics

Wedding faces federal murder charges for allegedly ordering killings to silence witnesses and eliminate threats to his operation. In November 2023, Jagtar and Harbhajan Sidhu were murdered as part of Wedding’s enforcement efforts. Mohammed Zafar was killed in May 2024 under similar circumstances. A superseding indictment added charges for ordering the murder of a witness in Colombia in January 2025, demonstrating Wedding’s willingness to orchestrate violence across international borders. Co-conspirator Andrew Clark faces charges related to the April 2024 murder of Randy Fader. These brutal tactics mirror the violence Americans witnessed at the southern border during the previous administration’s open-border policies, when cartels operated with impunity and trafficking networks flourished unchecked.

FBI Manhunt Culminates in Mexico Arrest

Wedding was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on March 6, 2025, with authorities offering a reward that eventually climbed to $15 million for information leading to his capture. The FBI conducted Operation Giant Slalom, which resulted in the October 2024 arrests of 16 individuals, including Wedding’s second-in-command. Six more defendants, including Wedding’s attorney and girlfriend, were arrested in November 2025 for their roles in money laundering and facilitating the criminal enterprise. Mexican authorities collaborated with American law enforcement to track Wedding, who had evaded capture for over a decade by hiding in Mexico. His arrest Thursday night, January 22, 2026, followed months of intensified investigation and represents a significant win for the Trump administration’s commitment to dismantling transnational criminal organizations.

Trump Administration Delivers Justice

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrest, stating Wedding “will face justice” for his crimes against American communities. FBI Director Kash Patel, who led the investigation, compared Wedding to Pablo Escobar and El Chapo, emphasizing the scale of his operation and the violence he allegedly orchestrated. Wedding was flown to the United States to face federal charges in Los Angeles, including continuing criminal enterprise, drug trafficking, and multiple murder counts. The arrest demonstrates the stark contrast between the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to cartel enforcement and the previous administration’s lax border policies. This capture sends a clear message that criminals cannot hide from American justice, and cartel operatives will be hunted down regardless of how long they evade authorities or where they hide.