Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been taken into custody months after being indicted on federal drug trafficking charges and accused of ordering the murder of a government witness, according to people familiar with the investigation.
Wedding, a Canadian national, was placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in March 2025 following a wide-ranging investigation into an alleged international drug trafficking operation. Authorities say he was arrested in Mexico, where he was believed to have been living for several years.
Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment in November accusing Wedding of running a large-scale criminal enterprise involved in narcotics trafficking. The indictment also alleges that Wedding directed the killing of a federal witness connected to the case. He had previously been charged with multiple drug trafficking offenses, as well as ordering the 2023 murders of two individuals in Canada.
Investigators had long suspected that Wedding was residing in Mexico and alleged that he was operating under the protection of a powerful criminal organization based in the region. Officials have said the organization maintains extensive influence over drug trafficking routes into the United States.
Authorities described Wedding as the leader of a violent and highly organized drug operation with international reach. Following the unsealing of the indictment, federal officials said Wedding worked closely with cartel figures to coordinate drug distribution and eliminate perceived threats to the organization.
Before becoming the subject of a major criminal investigation, Wedding competed internationally as a professional snowboarder. He represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he competed in the men’s parallel giant slalom event.
At the time of his arrest, U.S. authorities had been offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to Wedding’s capture. Further details regarding extradition proceedings and court appearances have not yet been released.
The case remains ongoing.