Retired Olympian Ryan Wedding Added to FBI’s Most Wanted List
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Ryan-James-Wedding-99_03062025-1eeb86063ca44e7788cc9e964dd81a6c.jpg)
Former Olympian Ryan James Wedding, aged 43, who represented Team Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, has been placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List. The FBI made the announcement on March 6, stating that Wedding is wanted for his involvement in running a transnational drug trafficking network, facilitating the shipment of large quantities of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico to various destinations in the US and Canada. Additionally, he is accused of orchestrating multiple murders and attempted murders in connection with these drug-related activities. The U.S. Department of State has issued a reward of $10 million for any information leading to Wedding’s arrest and conviction.
Wedding’s criminal activities are alleged to have extended beyond borders, involving drug trafficking and violence on an international scale. He is said to have transitioned from the glory of competing in the Olympics to distributing cocaine in cities across the US and his home country, Canada. The FBI, particularly the Los Angeles Field Office, has emphasized the dangerous nature of Wedding’s criminal operations and the threat he poses to society. Wedding’s notoriety escalated further in June 2024 when he and his associate, Andrew Clark, were charged in California with multiple criminal offences, including leading a criminal enterprise, committing murders, and engaging in drug-related crimes.
The indictment against Wedding and Clark, along with several other accomplices, outlined the extent of their criminal activities and the violence associated with their operations. The charges included the transportation of large quantities of cocaine from Southern California to Canada through a network based in the latter country. The indictment also detailed instances of extreme violence, including murders, allegedly ordered by Wedding and Clark as part of their criminal endeavours. These violent acts culminated in a tragic incident in November 2023, where two members of a family in Ontario, Canada, were reportedly murdered as retribution for a stolen drug shipment, with another family member sustaining severe injuries.
Despite efforts to evade law enforcement, Clark was apprehended by Mexican authorities last October and extradited to the US for prosecution. Wedding, on the other hand, remains at large, with speculation over his whereabouts focusing on Mexico, the US, and Canada. The FBI reiterated Wedding’s high-risk status and the severe penalties he faces if brought to justice, including life imprisonment for his criminal enterprise charge and significant prison terms for the murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking charges. Efforts to locate and apprehend Wedding continue, with rewards and resources dedicated to ensuring accountability for his alleged crimes.
The addition of a former Olympian to the FBI’s Most Wanted List underscores the diverse nature of criminal activities and the global reach of law enforcement efforts. From sporting achievements to the depths of organised crime, the story of Ryan James Wedding highlights the complexities of human behaviour and the pursuit of justice in a world where individuals can transition from athletic pursuits to illicit enterprises. As the investigation unfolds and international cooperation intensifies, the case of Ryan Wedding serves as a reminder of the challenges posed by sophisticated criminal networks and the resolve of law enforcement agencies to uphold the rule of law.