A former Olympic snowboarder turned drug kingpin has been charged with ordering the execution of a federal witness, highlighting the ruthless lengths criminals will go to silence those who cooperate with law enforcement.
Story Snapshot
- Former Olympian Ryan Wedding charged with murdering federal witness in Colombia after issuing multimillion-dollar bounty.
- Wedding allegedly leads transnational drug network importing 60 metric tons of cocaine annually into the U.S.
- Operation Giant Slalom results in 10 arrests as part of international manhunt for Wedding.
- $15 million reward offered for information leading to Wedding’s capture.
Olympic Champion Turned Drug Lord
Ryan Wedding, 44, competed for Canada in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics before his dramatic fall from grace. The Canadian national, now residing in Mexico, stands accused of leading one of the world’s most violent drug trafficking organizations.
Wedding’s criminal transformation began in 2010 when he was convicted for attempting to purchase cocaine from a U.S. government agent, marking his first major legal trouble.
#BREAKING 🚨 Olympian turned drug kingpin Ryan Wedding — currently on the FBI's top 10 most wanted list — has been accused of ordering the murder of a witness.
Details: https://t.co/MfDhwaGT7M pic.twitter.com/tI4q9F5wch
— TMZ (@TMZ) November 19, 2025
Witness Murder Conspiracy Exposed
Federal prosecutors revealed Wedding issued a multimillion-dollar bounty on a cooperating witness involved in his 2024 narcotics case. The witness, identified only as Victim A, was murdered in Colombia in January 2025 after Wedding allegedly enlisted other defendants to locate and kill the individual.
Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli condemned the killing as “a cruel, cold-blooded act that could not and did not go unanswered.”
The newly unsealed federal grand jury indictment charges Wedding with witness tampering, intimidation, murder, money laundering, and drug trafficking. This represents a significant escalation in the government’s case against the former athlete, who was already on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List since March 2024.
Massive Drug Operation Uncovered
Attorney General Pamela Bondi described Wedding’s organization as responsible for importing approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine annually into Los Angeles through semi-trucks from Mexico.
The sophisticated network ships drugs from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California to Canada and other U.S. regions. Wedding’s operation demonstrates the international scope of modern drug trafficking that continues to plague American communities with deadly narcotics.
Operation Giant Slalom, the international investigation targeting Wedding’s network, has achieved significant results. Over the course of the investigation, 35 individuals have been indicted, authorities have seized 2,000 kilograms of drugs and numerous weapons, and recovered $3.2 million in cryptocurrency.
The operation involves law enforcement partnerships across multiple countries working to dismantle this transnational criminal enterprise.
Justice Department Pursues Maximum Penalties
The Department of Justice is seeking life imprisonment for Wedding and his co-defendants if convicted on murder charges.
FBI Assistant Director Akil Davis emphasized the operation’s goal of “capturing Wedding, finding justice for several murder victims – including a cooperating witness – and ridding communities in North America of deadly drugs.”
The State Department’s Narcotics Rewards Program has authorized up to $15 million for information leading to Wedding’s arrest or conviction.
