Former Canadian snowboarder Ryan Wedding, who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics, pleaded not guilty Monday to a long list of federal charges that include running a billion-dollar drug trafficking operation and orchestrating multiple killings.
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It all played out in a California courtroom just days after his arrest in Mexico.
Ryan Wedding (Credit: Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
According to U.S. authorities, Wedding had been on the run for more than a decade and was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list last year. A $15 million reward was even offered for information leading to his capture.
Prosecutors say the case is massive. They allege Wedding helped move up to 60 tons of cocaine across Colombia, Mexico, Canada, and the United States, working under the protection of the powerful Sinaloa cartel. Investigators also claim his operation became the largest supplier of cocaine to Canada.
That's not all. Federal charges accuse Wedding of directing multiple killings, including the deaths of two members of a Canadian family in 2023 and another tied to a drug debt in 2024. He's also accused of ordering the murder of a witness to avoid extradition.
Wedding's attorney pushed back on one key detail, saying his client did not turn himself in and was not hiding in Mexico.
Still, the judge wasn't taking any chances. Wedding was ordered held in custody, with the court citing concerns about public safety and the risk of him fleeing again.
His next court date is set, with trial currently scheduled for March. From Olympic slopes to one of the FBI's most wanted, it's a stunning fall.
