Olympic Snowboarder Turned Alleged Drug Kingpin Charged In Death Of Federal Witness

A former Olympic snowboarder, who officials opportunity runs 1 of nan astir convulsive drug-trafficking organizations successful nan world, faces caller charges related to nan execution of a national witnesser successful nan lawsuit against him.

Officials said Ryan James Wedding “placed a bounty” connected nan witness’ caput “in nan erroneous belief that nan victim’s decease would consequence successful nan dismissal of criminal charges against him and his world supplier trafficking ring.” He allegedly utilized a Canadian website to station images of nan witnesser and his woman to find him, officials said astatine a Wednesday news conference.

The witnesser was fatally changeable astatine a edifice earlier he could attest against Wedding. In an indictment unsealed connected Wednesday, Wedding was charged pinch murder, witnesser tampering and intimidation, money laundering and supplier trafficking.

The caller indictment besides includes respective different people, including a Canadian lawyer, who officials opportunity were progressive successful nan murder.

The U.S. Department of State accrued its reward from $10 cardinal to $15 cardinal for accusation that leads to nan apprehension and/or condemnation of Wedding, who is connected nan FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List.

“You do not get to beryllium a supplier kingpin and evade nan law,” FBI Director Kash Patel said astatine nan news conference. “Make nary correction astir it, Ryan Wedding is simply a modern-day loop of Pablo Escobar; he’s a modern loop of El Chapo Guzman. … He will not evade justice.”

Akil Davis, adjunct head successful complaint of nan FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said officials judge he’s being protected by nan cartel and others successful Mexico.

“Please understand that he mightiness alteration his hairsbreadth color, his appearance, and do thing to debar capture,” he said.

A surveillance photograph of Ryan Wedding provided by nan FBI.FBI

Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wedding's statement is responsible for importing astir 60 metric tons of cocaine a twelvemonth into Los Angeles via semi-trucks from Mexico.

“He controls 1 of nan astir prolific and convulsive drug-trafficking organizations successful this world,” she said. “He is presently nan largest supplier of cocaine successful Canada.”

Over nan people of nan investigation, Bondi said much than 35 group person been indicted, galore weapons person been seized, astir $3.2 cardinal successful cryptocurrency has been recovered, and complete $13 cardinal successful beingness assets person been confiscated.

According to nan FBI, Wedding’s statement often resorted to violence, including orchestrating nan murders of aggregate people.

Wedding, who represented Canada successful nan Winter Olympics successful Salt Lake City successful 2002, was charged successful a September 2024 superseding indictment pinch attempted execution and different counts.