A US$10 million reward is being offered for information that leads to the capture of a former Olympic snowboarder from Canada, who is accused of orchestrating a vast international drug trafficking operation and several murders linked to this drug ring.
The FBI announced on Thursday that 43-year-old Ryan Wedding has been added to its list of 10 Most Wanted fugitives, coinciding with the US State Department’s reward offer.
“Wedding transitioned from carving turns in Olympic snow to distributing cocaine across U.S. cities and his home country of Canada,” remarked Akil Davis, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Ryan Wedding from Canada takes part in the qualifying round of the men’s parallel giant slalom snowboarding event at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games. Getty
Among his reported nicknames, the FBI lists “El Jefe,” “Public Enemy,” and “James Conrad King.”
Wedding was indicted last June on charges of murder and drug trafficking. These charges were expanded in September, when an indictment alleged that he and accomplices coordinated the shipment of approximately 60 tonnes of cocaine annually, transporting the drugs via long-haul trucks between Colombia, Mexico, Southern California, and Canada.
In their October announcement regarding the indictment, the FBI noted that a dozen individuals had been arrested in relation to this case.
Authorities allege that the group was involved in the killings of two family members in Canada, in what was described as a case of mistaken identity—as a retaliatory act for a stolen drug shipment—as well as the murders of two others, according to reports and federal court documents.
At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Wedding placed 24th in the parallel giant slalom event.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
