Ryan Wedding’s Journey From Olympic Snowboarder To FBI’s Most Wanted
Ryan Wedding: From Snowboarding Star to FBI’s Most Wanted
Ryan Wedding, a former rising star in the world of snowboarding, has taken a drastic turn in his life that has landed him on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List. Wedding comes from a family with a background in ski racing, and his early success in snowboarding seemed to set him on a promising career path.
Early Success in Snowboarding
Wedding’s snowboarding career took off at a young age, with notable achievements such as winning a bronze medal in the Parallel Giant Slalom at the 1999 Junior World Championship and a silver medal in the 2001 Junior World Championships. He even became the Canadian national champion in the Giant Slalom in 2001 and represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Wedding’s trajectory in the sport was impressive, to say the least.
A Downward Spiral
However, after the 2002 Olympics, Wedding’s life took a dark turn. He enrolled at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and started working as a bouncer, eventually getting involved with the city’s drug dealers. Wedding ended up dropping out of school and reportedly became a major marijuana dealer before getting involved with Iranian and Russian cocaine smugglers, leading to the end of his snowboarding career.
Legal Troubles and Criminal Activities
Wedding’s criminal activities caught up with him, and he was first arrested in 2008 in California, where he was found guilty of conspiring to smuggle cocaine. Subsequent legal troubles led to Wedding being sentenced to four years in jail in May 2010 for attempting to buy cocaine from a government official in 2008. Prosecutors have also linked him to at least three killings and a billion-dollar criminal operation involving cocaine trafficking between Colombia, Mexico, the US, and Canada.
Manhunt and Rewards
Despite being a wanted fugitive, Wedding has managed to evade arrest and is believed to be protected by the dangerous Sinaloa cartel. The US State Department has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction, with the FBI adding an additional $50,000 reward for any information on his whereabouts.
Personal Life and Connections
Wedding’s personal life has also been tumultuous, as he married a British Columbian businesswoman of Iranian descent while behind bars in 2011. However, the woman later distanced herself from Wedding, citing his criminal activities and connections to drug cartels. Reports indicate that she has been linked to kidnapping and money laundering cases related to Mexican drug cartels.
Ongoing Investigation
The FBI continues its efforts to capture Wedding and dismantle the drug trafficking network he is allegedly involved in. With the help of other law enforcement agencies, the FBI has managed to capture twelve gang members associated with Wedding’s operation but has yet to apprehend the former snowboarding star. Wedding’s story serves as a cautionary tale of how success and fame can quickly unravel into a life of crime and evasion from the law.