The FBI has released a new photo of the Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted for running a murderous international drug ring.
The undated image shows Ryan James Wedding, 43, looking at his phone in an undisclosed location.
The former Olympian is accused of ordering multiple murders in Canada as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking network.
Wedding was one of 16 defendants named in a US indictment made public last month.
At the time, authorities released a photo of him with long hair and a patchy beard.
In the new image, he is shown with shorter hair.
Wedding is accused of ordering several murders in Canada as a kingpin of a drug trafficking organization that smuggled more than 1,800 kilos of cocaine through North America.
The accused human trafficking ring includes nine other Canadians and operates in Colombia, Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.
In the new photo (above), Wedding is seen with shorter hair. Authorities released a photo in October showing him with longer hair
The former Olympian is accused of ordering multiple murders in Canada as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking network
The former Olympian is believed to be hiding in Mexico.
He has been linked to at least three fatal shootings in Canada, including the murder of an innocent couple in Caledon, Ontario.
Wedding is the main defendant in the indictment and is wanted on eight charges, including three murders related to an ongoing criminal enterprise.
His alleged deputy, 34-year-old Canadian Andrew Clark, is currently in custody.
In addition to the charges, Wedding also faces unrelated drug trafficking charges in Canada, which have been pending since 2015, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
An extradition request obtained by CTV News Toronto Last month it emerged that US authorities were aware of Wedding’s location in January 2024, but did not arrest him.
According to a statement of facts included in the petition, a cooperating witness reported meeting Wedding and Clark in Mexico City at the time.
Wedding represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, finishing 24th in the parallel giant slalom.
Wedding represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, finishing 24th in the parallel giant slalom
In 2006, he was named in a search warrant in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, in connection with an investigation into an illegal marijuana grow operation, although he was never charged.
In 2010, he was arrested and later convicted of attempting to buy cocaine from a U.S. government agent, which resulted in a four-year prison sentence.
According to U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, investigators believe Wedding resumed drug trafficking after his release and has since been under the protection of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel.
The FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.