Former Olympic snowboarder accused of ordering killing of witness set to testify against him in drug trafficking case

The Justice Department has revealed shocking new charges against former Canadian Olympian snowboarder Ryan Wedding, who is allegedly the “largest distributor of cocaine” in Canada, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Wedding, 44, is accused of ordering the killing of a witness who was set to testify against him in a federal drug trafficking case. He is currently on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and is described as the “leader of a transnational criminal enterprise,” according to Bondi.

Bondi stated at a press briefing that Wedding collaborates closely with the Sinaloa Cartel, a foreign terrorist organization, to smuggle cocaine from Colombia into both American and Canadian communities. She revealed that Wedding’s organization is responsible for importing approximately six metric tons of cocaine each year into Los Angeles via semi-trucks from Mexico.

Wedding had previously been indicted in Los Angeles federal court on multiple charges, including running a continuing criminal enterprise, committing murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise, and various drug crimes. He allegedly worked with his second-in-command, Andrew Clark, to move large quantities of cocaine from Mexico to stash houses in the Los Angeles area before distributing them to Canada and other U.S. cities using long-haul semi-trucks.

The indictment also accuses Wedding and Clark of ordering multiple murders in Canada to further their organization’s goals, according to the FBI.

Recently, Wedding has been charged in connection with the murder of a witness at a restaurant in Colombia in January. The victim was shot five times in the head and died instantly. U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Los Angeles Bill Essayli stated that Wedding had put a bounty on the victim’s head in the hope of avoiding criminal charges and extradition to the U.S.

Wedding, along with 14 others, including his lawyer, are facing charges related to the murder. The lawyer allegedly advised Wedding that killing the witness would result in dropped charges. The lawyer was arrested in Canada and will be extradited to the U.S.

Despite efforts to locate Wedding, he remains at large, with authorities unsure of his whereabouts. The State Department is now offering a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest, an increase from the previous $10 million reward.

The Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on Wedding and his criminal enterprise, citing their use of a complex financial network to launder money. Wedding, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is accused of running a billion-dollar cocaine operation from Mexico for over a decade.

FBI Director Kash Patel compared Wedding to a “modern-day” Pablo Escobar and urged anyone with information on his whereabouts to come forward. Assistant Director in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office Akil Davis emphasized Wedding’s extreme danger and violence, pledging to bring him to justice with the help of law enforcement agencies.