Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, who turned drug kingpin, was arrested after months as an FBI fugitive.
As per the reports, law enforcement authorities arrested Ryan Wedding, who had been evading capture for almost one year. The FBI pursued Wedding because he operated a global drug distribution network that transported large quantities of cocaine from Colombia to both the United States and Canada. The authorities charged him with participation in multiple murders, which include the mistaken-identity killings of two people. The authorities will present additional information regarding the Wedding arrest at a Friday morning news conference, according to NBC News, which first reported the arrest.
The snowboarding champion turned drug lord, Ryan James Wedding, was born on September 14, 1981, in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He began his snowboarding career at age 12 in a ski racing family. He won his first major snowboarding competition before his 2002 Olympic appearance. He built a cocaine trafficking cartel, which he ran while carrying out witness murders.
The FBI, the DEA, the Mexican Federal Police, and the RCMP conducted a coordinated raid at the Sinaloa safehouse to capture Ryan Wedding on January 23 2026. His location became known through undercover tips and facial recognition after he attempted to escape detection through plastic surgery. He surrendered without resistance to the authorities, who confiscated his cash, weapons, and documents. The Sinaloa Cartel protection operation, which had lasted for 10 months, ended without a shootout.
The joint task force, which included the FBI, DEA, Mexican Federal Police, and RCMP, carried out the arrest. The FBI added him to its Ten Most Wanted list in March 2025, which included a $5 million bounty for his capture.
Ryan Wedding was arrested on January 23, 2026, in a Sinaloa safehouse in Mexico during a joint FBI-led raid. This ended his nearly 10-month run as an FBI Ten Most Wanted fugitive since March 2025, following indictments for drug trafficking and witness murders.
2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics: Parallel Giant Slalom Men - 24th place.
1999 Junior Worlds: Parallel Giant Slalom - Bronze medal.
2001 Junior Worlds: Silver medal
2001 Canadian National Champion: Giant Slalom.
World Cup Parallel Slalom 2002: Top 40 overall standing.
