Ryan James Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder, has been indicted for leading an international drug-trafficking business that brought major shipments of cocaine into the United States and arranged multiple murders.

According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, it indicted Wedding, who it believes is currently hiding in Mexico and is wanted.

Drug Trafficking Ring Tied to Murders

According to the accusations, Wedding's business smuggled cocaine from Colombia via Mexico to the U.S., therefrom distributed through semi-trucks to the U.S. and into Canada. USA Today reports that prosecutors claim that Wedding, who went under various aliases including "El Jefe" and "Public Enemy," enforced the goals of the enterprise through violence.

Along with his accomplice, Andrew Clark, Wedding has also been accused of having orchestrated the murder of two others in Ontario, Canada, in November 2023 due to the theft of a shipment of drugs. The two are further accused of planning another homicide in May 2024 over a drug debt.

"(Wedding) chose to become a major drug trafficker and he chose to become a killer," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said during a conference. "They were killers. Anyone who got in their way they would target with violence, including murder."

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Multi-Million Dollar Seizures Made Throughout Investigation

Law enforcement officials confiscated over one ton of cocaine, firearms, and ammunition and over $3.2 million in cryptocurrency tied to the wedding ring of Ring Leader Wedding.

The onetime Winter Games hopeful is one of 16 people charged in connection with the drug-trafficking ring, and four, including Wedding, remain on the loose. The FBI has a $50,000 reward for information leading to his apprehension and extradition.

Background History of Involvement with Drugs

Wedding also has related drug trafficking charges in Canada and has a prior conviction in 2010 for conspiring to distribute cocaine, according to US Magazine. His prison sentence notwithstanding, authorities believe that after his release, he continued to engage in the trade, allegedly under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.

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