Former Canadian Olympian Ryan Wedding Added to FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List
Accused of Leading a Violent Drug Empire, FBI Offers $10 Million Reward for His Capture
LOS ANGELES – Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, has been placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list for allegedly operating a transnational drug trafficking network and ordering multiple murders. Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, made the announcement at a press conference in Westwood, joined by officials from the U.S. Department of State, RCMP, LAPD, DEA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
From Olympic Athlete to International Fugitive
Wedding, 43, originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in the Giant Slalom event. Once seen as a rising star in Canadian snowboarding, his career took a dark turn post-competition.
According to law enforcement, Wedding—also known by aliases “El Jefe,” “Giant,” “Public Enemy,” “James Conrad King,” and “Jesse King”—allegedly built a vast cocaine trafficking operation that moved hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and into Canada and the U.S. Authorities also accuse him of orchestrating multiple murders to further his criminal enterprise.
International Efforts to Capture Wedding
The U.S. Department of State has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Wedding’s arrest and conviction, the highest reward currently available for a fugitive on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list. The FBI is also offering $50,000 for information leading to his capture.
Authorities believe Wedding is hiding in Mexico but have not ruled out that he could be in Canada, the United States, Colombia, or Central America. The RCMP, DEA, and other international agencies are coordinating efforts to locate and apprehend him.
Major Drug Indictment and Murder Charges
In June 2024, Wedding and his second-in-command, Andrew Clark, 34, were indicted in the Central District of California on multiple charges, including:
- Operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise
- Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy to Export Cocaine
- Committing Multiple Murders to Further Drug Operations
Clark was arrested in October 2024 by Mexican authorities and extradited to the U.S.
In September 2024, a superseding indictment named 14 additional defendants and added charges of attempted murder against Wedding and Clark. The trafficking ring, allegedly led by Wedding, worked with Canadian operatives Hardeep Ratte, 46, and Gurpreet Singh, 31, to move massive shipments of cocaine via long-haul semi-trucks from Southern California into Canada.
The indictment also alleges that Wedding ordered multiple murders, including:
- November 20, 2023 – Wedding and Clark allegedly ordered the murder of two family members in Ontario, Canada, over a stolen drug shipment. A third victim survived but suffered severe injuries.
- May 18, 2024 – A victim was killed over a drug debt.
- April 1, 2024 – Clark and Malik Damion Cunningham, 23, allegedly murdered another victim in Ontario.
Authorities Warn of Wedding’s Dangerous Nature
“Wedding went from shredding powder on Olympic slopes to distributing powder cocaine on U.S. and Canadian streets,” said FBI Assistant Director Akil Davis. “The murders of his competitors make him a very dangerous man, and we need public cooperation to bring him to justice.”
Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division, described Wedding as “unremitting, callous, and greed-driven,” stating that his criminal empire had caused “an avalanche of death and destruction.”
FBI’s Appeal for Public Assistance
The FBI is urging anyone with information about Wedding’s whereabouts to come forward. Anonymous tips can be submitted via:
📞 Call the FBI: +1-424-495-0614 (WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram)
🌎 Online Tips: tips.fbi.gov
🏛 Nearest Embassy/Consulate: Contact local U.S. or Canadian authorities
Wedding is described as:
- Aliases: James Conrad King, Jesse King
- Date of Birth: September 14, 1981
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 240 lbs (may vary)
- Hair: Brown (may wear a beard)
- Eyes: Blue
- Nationality: Canadian
- Notable Monikers: “El Jefe,” “Giant,” “Public Enemy”
What’s Next?
Wedding’s face will be displayed on digital billboards across North America, and he will replace Alexis Flores on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, established in 1950, has seen 535 fugitives added, with 496 captured—163 due to citizen tips.
Authorities stress that Wedding is considered armed and extremely dangerous. Anyone with information is strongly urged to report his location immediately and not attempt to engage him.
