U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI director Kash Patel presented their case on Wednesday against Ryan Wedding, a former Team Canada Olympian who they allege transformed into a prominent global drug kingpin. The announcement was made during a press conference in Washington, D.C., accompanied by RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme.
Wedding, identified as a Canadian drug lord who participated in the 2002 Winter Olympics as a snowboarder for Canada, is now listed among the FBI’s top 10 most-wanted fugitives. Bondi revealed that the U.S. Department of Justice is charging Wedding with additional offenses including witness tampering, intimidation, money laundering, and drug trafficking.
According to Bondi, Wedding is at the helm of a highly active and violent drug trafficking syndicate on a global scale. The indictment unsealed on Wednesday alleges that Wedding orchestrated the murder of a federal witness using a now-defunct website called “The Dirty News” to track down the witness and his spouse. The victim, identified as Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia by Radio-Canada sources, was fatally shot in a restaurant in Medellin, Colombia, before testifying against Wedding.
The U.S. State Department has raised the reward for Wedding’s capture to $15 million US, up from $10 million, emphasizing the severity of the case. Bondi stated that Wedding is responsible for importing approximately 60 metric tonnes of cocaine annually into Los Angeles from Mexico, leading to the indictment of over 35 individuals during the investigation.
Describing Wedding as a contemporary parallel to infamous drug lords Pablo Escobar and Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, FBI director Kash Patel urged the public to come forward with any pertinent information on the accused. Patel underscored Wedding’s involvement in a sophisticated drug trafficking and terrorism system unseen in recent times, emphasizing the urgency to bring him to justice.
Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles division, highlighted Wedding’s potential to alter his appearance to evade arrest, urging vigilance in identifying and detaining him. RCMP Commissioner Duheme acknowledged the collaborative efforts of law enforcement across borders but stressed that their mission is ongoing.
In a recent law enforcement operation, seven Canadians associated with Wedding’s alleged criminal network were apprehended by the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police. One of the detainees, Atna Onha, also known as Tupac or 2-Pac, faces charges related to murder, cocaine trafficking, and potential extradition to the U.S. Another individual, Edwin Basora-Hernandez, was arrested for his alleged role in facilitating the location of the murder victim on behalf of Onha. Additionally, Canadian lawyer Deepak Paradkar was arrested for allegedly advising Wedding on the murder plot to prevent his extradition from Mexico.
The arrests mark a significant development in the pursuit of Wedding and his associates, underlining the continued efforts to dismantle their criminal operations and ensure accountability for their actions.