From Olympic Glory to Most Wanted: Ryan Wedding's $15M Bounty

In a dramatic escalation of one of the most shocking falls from grace in sports history, federal authorities have increased the reward for former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding to an unprecedented $15 million. The announcement, made Wednesday by FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, places Wedding alongside some of history's most notorious drug lords in terms of the government's determination to bring him to justice.

A Modern-Day Escobar

"Ryan Wedding is a modern-day iteration of Pablo Escobar. He's a modern-day iteration of 'El Chapo' Guzman," FBI Director Patel declared at a Department of Justice press conference, flanked by Attorney General Bondi and RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme. The comparison to two of history's most infamous drug kingpins underscores the severity of the charges against the 44-year-old Canadian who once represented his country on the world's most prestigious athletic stage.

The reward increase—from $10 million to $15 million—reflects the intensifying manhunt for Wedding, who remains at large and is believed to be operating from outside North America. This bounty now ranks among the highest ever offered by U.S. law enforcement for a fugitive.

New Charges Paint Darker Picture

Wednesday's announcement brought more than just an increased reward. Attorney General Bondi revealed that the Department of Justice is charging Wedding with "two additional counts of witness tampering and intimidation, money laundering, and drug trafficking." These new charges stem from what authorities describe as a calculated attempt to obstruct justice through extreme violence.

According to federal prosecutors, Wedding allegedly orchestrated the January 2025 murder of a federal witness at a restaurant in Colombia. The victim was shot five times in the head, dying instantly. "Wedding placed a bounty on the victim's head in the erroneous belief that the victim's death would result in the dismissal of criminal charges against him," officials stated. The brazen daylight execution demonstrates the extent of Wedding's alleged criminal network and his willingness to eliminate threats to his operation.

Wedding and 14 others, including his own lawyer, now face charges in connection with this murder, adding to an already substantial list of accusations that include orchestrating dozens of killings across North America and Latin America.

A Billion-Dollar Drug Empire

Law enforcement officials paint a picture of a sophisticated international trafficking operation that has moved more than $1 billion worth of cocaine. "He controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in this world," Bondi emphasized during the press conference. "His organization is responsible for importing approximately six metric tons of cocaine a year into Los Angeles via semi trucks from Mexico."

The scale of Wedding's alleged operation is staggering. Six metric tons of cocaine annually represents thousands of pounds of drugs flooding American streets, with a street value running into hundreds of millions of dollars. The operation reportedly moves product from Colombia and Mexico into the United States and Canada, utilizing established trafficking routes and corrupted transportation networks.

The Road from Salt Lake City to Infamy

Ryan Wedding's journey from Olympic athlete to alleged international drug lord represents one of the most dramatic transformations in criminal justice history. In 2002, Wedding competed in the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City as a member of Canada's snowboarding team—a pinnacle achievement that most athletes spend their entire lives working toward.

But Wedding's path diverged sharply from his fellow Olympians in the years that followed. His first brush with law enforcement came in 2006, when he was named in connection with a major marijuana growing operation in British Columbia. Though no charges were filed at the time, this incident marked the beginning of a pattern that would define the next two decades of his life.

By 2009, Wedding's involvement in the drug trade had escalated significantly. He was arrested in the United States on cocaine trafficking charges and subsequently served four years in prison. Rather than serving as a deterrent, his incarceration appears to have been merely an interruption. Upon his release, Wedding allegedly expanded his operations, building the international network that authorities are now working to dismantle.

In 2015, additional drug charges surfaced in Nova Scotia, but Wedding managed to disappear before authorities could apprehend him. He has remained a fugitive ever since, evading capture while allegedly directing a violent criminal enterprise from abroad.

Multiple Identities, One Target

Adding to the complexity of the manhunt, Wedding is believed to operate under several aliases, including "El Jefe" (The Boss), "Giant," "Jesse King," and "Public Enemy." These multiple identities allow him to move through criminal circles and potentially evade detection by using different personas in different contexts.

His placement on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List—a roster that has included terrorists, serial killers, and organized crime bosses—underscores the bureau's commitment to his capture. The $15 million reward is among the highest ever offered and signals that federal authorities consider Wedding among their highest-priority targets.

International Cooperation and Ongoing Investigation

The joint appearance of American and Canadian law enforcement officials at Wednesday's press conference highlights the international nature of both Wedding's alleged crimes and the investigation pursuing him. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, FBI, DEA, and other agencies have pooled resources in what has become a complex, multi-jurisdictional investigation spanning three countries.

Authorities believe Wedding is currently hiding somewhere outside North America, likely in a country with limited extradition agreements with the United States and Canada. The $15 million reward is designed to incentivize cooperation from individuals who might have information about his whereabouts, potentially overcoming loyalties or fears of retribution.

A Cautionary Tale

Ryan Wedding's story serves as a stark reminder that athletic achievement and Olympic glory provide no immunity from the consequences of criminal choices. His alleged transformation from representing Canada on the world stage to directing a billion-dollar drug trafficking operation that has claimed dozens of lives represents an extreme cautionary tale about the paths that can unfold when individuals turn to crime.

The increasing body count associated with Wedding's alleged organization—including the recent witness murder in Colombia—demonstrates that whatever success he may have achieved as a snowboarder has been overshadowed by a legacy of violence and destruction. Federal authorities have made clear their determination to end his run as a fugitive, marshaling unprecedented resources and offering one of the largest rewards in law enforcement history.

What Comes Next

As the manhunt continues, authorities are urging anyone with information about Wedding's whereabouts to come forward. The $15 million reward represents a life-changing sum for anyone able to provide information leading to his arrest and conviction. Given the scope of his alleged operation, investigators believe numerous individuals must have knowledge of his location or activities.

For Wedding himself, the message from law enforcement is unambiguous: the net is tightening, the resources dedicated to his capture are immense, and his freedom is increasingly precarious. Whether through the reward incentive, ongoing investigation, or international cooperation, authorities have made his apprehension their top priority.

The case of Ryan Wedding stands as one of the most dramatic falls from grace in recent memory—from Olympic athlete to one of America's most wanted fugitives, with a bounty on his head that rivals those placed on the world's most dangerous criminals. As Attorney General Bondi made clear, the government's message is simple: "We will find you, and we will bring you to justice."