Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding charged with running drug ring and ‘ordering killings’

A former Olympic snowboarder has been accused of running a sophisticated drug trafficking ring that ordered multiple murders.

Ryan James Wedding, 43, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is accused by federal prosecutors of turning to a life of crime after his snowboarding career.

Specifically, they allege that he ran a drug ring that “routinely shipped hundreds of pounds of cocaine” from Columbia through Mexico to Southern California.

From there, prosecutors say, the drugs would travel through the United States and Canada.

Wedding and alleged accomplice Andrew Clark, 34, both Canadian citizens living in Mexico, allegedly orchestrated the murders of three people over various drug disputes.

Wedding, known by many aliases, remains at large, according to the FBI

“He chose to become a major drug trafficker and a murderer,” U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada said of Wedding at a news conference, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Los Angeles Times.

According to FBI Special Agent Krysti Hawkins, who also spoke at the conference, the wedding remains at large.

On Thursday, prosecutors unsealed the 16-count superseding indictment against Wedding, Clark and 14 other defendants allegedly part of the gang.

Wedding and Clark, who were arrested this month in Mexico, were the first to be charged in the original indictment.

The new indictment accuses the group of funneling massive amounts of cocaine through the U.S. and Canada — about 60 tons a year, according to Estrada.

Prosecutors said Hardeep Ratte and Gurpreet Singh ran Canada’s drug trafficking network.

During a demonstration, prosecutors showed off the items authorities seized in the alleged drug trafficking operation, including more than a ton of cocaine and dozens of rounds of ammunition and more than $3 million.

Authorities say the cocaine was stored in warehouses in Los Angeles before being trucked to Canada.

Prosecutors called it a multibillion-dollar operation and seized more than a ton of cocaine, dozens of rounds of ammunition and more than $3 million in cryptocurrency as part of their investigation.

Wedding and Clark would do virtually anything to protect their wealth, prosecutors said.

‘They were murderers. Anyone who stood in their way was met with violence, including murder,” Estrada said.

They were accused of hiring hitmen to carry out revenge killings of people they believed were standing in the way of their profits.

The duo allegedly ordered the murder of two members of an Indian family from Ontario, Canada, because they believed they had stolen a shipment of drugs.

Estrada said it was a case of mistaken identity. The couple was shot in front of their daughter, who was also shot but managed to survive with serious injuries.

The FBI’s wanted flier for Wedding, calling him armed and dangerous

Wedding and Clark also ordered a hit on another person for failing to pay a drug debt owed to them, Estrada said.

Prosecutors say the victim was shot and killed in his car while sitting in the driveway of his home.

Wedding, whose aliases are ‘El Jefe’, ‘Giant’ and ‘Public Enemy’, is the prime suspect and was charged with eight crimes, including three murders.

Clark, nicknamed ‘The Dictator’, was charged with the same eight crimes.

Wedding was first arrested in 2008 on charges of distributing cocaine. A year later, a federal jury in San Diego convicted him of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine.

So far, 12 people have been arrested in the US, Canada, Columbia and Mexico in connection with the alleged drug trafficking.

There is now a $50,000 reward for anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of Wedding, who is considered armed and dangerous.