FBI ups reward to $15 million for ex-Olympian Ryan James Wedding on the run

United States agencies announced on Wednesday a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the capture or conviction of Ryan James Wedding, a Canadian citizen and former Olympic snowboarder now accused of heading an international drug-trafficking network.

Wedding, who competed for Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games, has appeared on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list since March 2025. According to a statement from the US Department of Justice, he is charged with running a transnational criminal enterprise that moved large quantities of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and southern California to Canada.

In addition to drug-trafficking charges, Wedding is accused of ordering the killing of a federal witness in Medellín, Colombia, in January 2025 in an attempt to block their cooperation. At the same time, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed financial sanctions on him, his partners and the companies allegedly used to launder drug profits.

According to US attorney general Pam Bondi, “Wedding controls one of the most prolific and violent drug-trafficking organizations in the world.” Authorities believe he operates under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel and remains based in Mexico, though his exact location is still unknown.

The increase in the reward – from $10 million to $15 million – reflects heightened government pressure and the international reach of Wedding’s network, which spans North and South America. Officials are urging public cooperation and guaranteeing confidentiality for anyone providing verified information that leads to his arrest.

With this announcement, a new phase begins in the pursuit and dismantling of the operation, combining police, financial and diplomatic efforts with allies in Canada, Mexico and beyond. The scale of the initiative underscores the global nature of the threat posed by transnational drug trafficking and the urgency of securing his capture.

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