US Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI director Kash Patel presented their case on Wednesday against Ryan Wedding, a former Team Canada Olympian who they allege transformed into a significant drug kingpin. Bondi and Patel addressed the media in Washington, D.C., accompanied by RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme.
Wedding, a suspected Canadian drug lord who represented Canada as a snowboarder at the 2002 Olympic Games in Utah, is featured on the FBI’s top 10 most-wanted list. Bondi stated that the US Department of Justice is bringing charges against Wedding for witness tampering, intimidation, money laundering, and drug trafficking.
Described as controlling a major drug trafficking network, Wedding is accused of planning the murder of a federal witness through a website named “The Dirty News,” which has since been removed. The victim, identified as Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia, was shot at a restaurant in Medellin, Colombia, before testifying against Wedding.
The US State Department has increased the reward for Wedding’s capture to $15 million US. Bondi highlighted that Wedding was responsible for smuggling 60 metric tonnes of cocaine annually into Los Angeles from Mexico and mentioned that the investigation led to the indictment of over 35 individuals.
Patel likened Wedding to a contemporary version of Pablo Escobar and “El Chapo” Guzman, urging the public to provide any information on the fugitive. He emphasized Wedding’s involvement in a significant drug trafficking and terrorism scheme.
Furthermore, it was mentioned that Wedding, standing at six feet four inches and weighing between 230 to 250 pounds, may alter his appearance to evade arrest. Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles division, cautioned the public about Wedding’s potential disguise tactics.
At the conference, RCMP Commissioner Duheme praised the international cooperation among law enforcement agencies but emphasized the ongoing efforts to capture Wedding and dismantle his criminal enterprise.
Additionally, Duheme disclosed that seven Canadians associated with Wedding’s criminal group were arrested by the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police. Duheme labeled Wedding as a top threat to Canadian public safety and highlighted the billion-dollar criminal activities linked to him.
Among those apprehended was Atna Onha, also known as Tupac or 2-Pac, who faces charges related to murder and cocaine trafficking, with potential extradition to the US. The arrested individuals allegedly had ties to Wedding’s criminal network, with Onha implicated as a hired hitman in the murder of Acebedo-Garcia.
Another individual, Edwin Basora-Hernandez, was detained for providing information leading to the victim, while lawyer Deepak Paradkar was also arrested for allegedly advising Wedding on criminal activities to avoid extradition.
The operation to dismantle Wedding’s alleged drug trafficking operation involved numerous arrests, including Canadians, showcasing the collaborative efforts of US and Canadian authorities in combating transnational crime. Wedding remains at large despite these significant arrests.