The 44-year-old faces U.S. charges tied to a multinational cocaine network and a witness killing.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who spent months on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list, was arrested in Mexico and is being transferred to U.S. custody, senior Justice Department officials said Friday. Authorities allege he led a cross-border cocaine operation and ordered the slaying of a federal witness.
Wedding’s capture ends a high-profile manhunt that spanned North and South America and drew a reward of up to $15 million for tips. U.S. officials say the 44-year-old directed a trafficking pipeline that moved cocaine from Colombia through Mexico into Southern California and onward to Canada, using commercial trucks and trusted couriers. His arrest comes as U.S. and Canadian investigators continue to dismantle the network and prepare new court filings. Officials said additional arrests and forfeiture actions are possible as they sort through evidence seized over the past year.
Investigators said Wedding, known by aliases including “El Jefe” and “Public Enemy,” was taken into custody in Mexico after operating abroad for years under cartel protection. He previously competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics and later surfaced in criminal complaints that described a sprawling enterprise tied to the Sinaloa Cartel. Authorities have linked the group to shipments that crossed through Mexico into the United States before moving north to distribution hubs in California and Canada. “No one is beyond the reach of the law,” FBI Director Kash Patel said, praising the cooperation of Mexican and Canadian counterparts during a news conference announcing the arrest.
According to charging documents and prior agency statements, Wedding’s organization used semi-trucks and front companies to hide bulk loads, while money couriers moved proceeds through shell accounts and high-value goods. Officials said parallel investigations have led to dozens of related arrests and the seizure of drugs, weapons, vehicles, artwork and jewelry. Prosecutors also accuse Wedding of orchestrating multiple killings to protect the enterprise, including the January 2025 murder of a witness in Colombia who was expected to testify. Some elements of those allegations remain under seal; investigators have not publicly identified all of the suspects in the homicide case or disclosed the weapon used.
Wedding was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list in March 2025 after earlier drug convictions and new charges connected him to a transnational network. By November 2025, the reward for information leading to his capture was raised to $15 million as investigators publicized his alleged role in coordinating shipments and violence from hiding in Mexico. The arrest follows a year of stepped-up joint operations, with U.S. agents working alongside Mexican federal authorities and Colombian police to track couriers, seize ledgers and pressure midlevel lieutenants for cooperation.
U.S. officials said Wedding faces counts including continuing criminal enterprise, international cocaine trafficking and related conspiracy offenses, with potential enhancements tied to violent crimes. He is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court after arriving in the United States, where a magistrate judge would address detention and scheduling. Prosecutors said a grand jury has returned indictments in the case and that additional filings could follow as evidence from foreign partners is translated and certified. A separate Canadian case stemming from prior investigations remains open and could proceed once U.S. proceedings advance.
Outside the Justice Department on Friday, former teammates and advocates for athletes said the case shows how far Wedding’s life diverged after his Olympic run. “People remember him in Salt Lake City,” said Mark Donnelly, a coach who worked with Canadian snowboarders in the early 2000s. “It’s jarring to reconcile that with what prosecutors now allege.” In Los Angeles, truckers who use the same border routes described frequent inspections and long backups in recent months as law enforcement ramped up checks. “You could feel something big was going on,” said driver Alicia Romero, who crosses at Otay Mesa weekly.
As of Friday afternoon, officials said Wedding remained in law enforcement custody with a court appearance expected in the coming days. Investigators plan further briefings once he is processed into a U.S. detention facility and placed on the federal docket. Additional arrests and asset seizures tied to the network are possible as agents compare records and coordinate with partners in Mexico and Canada.
Author note: Last updated January 23, 2026.