E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, announced this development during a press conference in Westwood. The announcement was made alongside representatives from several law enforcement agencies including the United States Department of State and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Ryan Wedding, 43, is accused of leading a transnational drug trafficking network that transported large quantities of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California to Canada and other U.S. locations. He is also charged with orchestrating multiple murders related to these drug activities.
Wedding's addition marks him as the 535th person on the FBI's notorious fugitives list, replacing Alexis Flores. Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally stated, "As alleged in the superseding indictment, defendant Ryan Wedding – a former Olympian – led a transnational criminal organization that murdered innocent people and put thousands of kilograms of narcotics on our streets."
The U.S. Department of State has announced a $10 million reward for information leading to Wedding’s arrest or conviction under its Narcotics Rewards Program. This is in addition to the FBI’s $50,000 reward for his capture.
Wedding and his second-in-command Andrew Clark were indicted last year on charges including running a continuing criminal enterprise and committing murder connected to drug crimes. Clark was arrested by Mexican authorities last October.
The case involves cooperation between multiple international law enforcement agencies aiming to bring Wedding to justice. Liam Price from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police emphasized their commitment to working with international partners against transnational criminals.
If convicted, both Wedding and Clark face severe penalties including life imprisonment for their involvement in these criminal activities.
Matthew Allen from the Drug Enforcement Administration described Wedding as having "unleashed an avalanche of death and destruction," underscoring his dangerousness due to his alleged actions within the drug trafficking organization.
Authorities believe Wedding may be residing in Mexico but have not ruled out other locations such as Canada or Central America. The public is urged to contact law enforcement with any information regarding his whereabouts.
