Mexican authorities have dealt a major blow to the multi-billion-dollar drug empire allegedly run by Ryan Wedding, the former Canadian Olympic snowboarder turned FBI “Top 10” fugitive. In a series of high-stakes raids across Mexico City and the State of Mexico, law enforcement uncovered a hoard of luxury goods and evidence that paints a picture of a “modern-day Pablo Escobar.”
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Seizure: Mystery Medals and High-End Chrome
While Wedding’s 2002 Olympic run in Salt Lake City ended in a 24th-place finish, the raids suggests he maintained a strange obsession with Olympic prestige. The search of four “illicit” properties yielded:
- 62 high-end motorcycles and several luxury vehicles.
- Two Olympic medals (The owners of which remain unknown, as Wedding never medaled).
- Significant stockpiles of methamphetamine, marijuana, and ammunition.
- Fine art and documents detailing the logistics of a billion-dollar cocaine pipeline.
The “Narcoterrorism” Network
FBI Director Kash Patel recently increased the reward for Wedding’s capture to $15 million—the highest bounty on the current Most Wanted list. The Wedding Criminal Enterprise is accused of:
- Moving 60 metric tonnes of cocaine annually from Mexico into Canada via California.
- Orchestrating dozens of murders, including the high-profile slaying of federal informant Jonathan Acebedo Garcia in Colombia.
- Ordering “mistaken identity” hits on an innocent couple near Toronto.
“Make no mistake, Ryan Wedding is extremely dangerous. He’s extremely violent, and he’s extremely wealthy.” — Akil Davis, FBI Assistant Director
The Fall of the Inner Circle
The manhunt has intensified following the unsealing of a massive indictment targeting Wedding’s professional enablers. Among those recently captured or charged:
- Deepak Paradkar: Wedding’s former lawyer, accused of using his legal status to vet “rats” and allegedly advising Wedding to murder a state witness. He was recently granted bail in Toronto under strict house arrest.
- The “Sinaloa Connection”: Intelligence suggests Wedding remains under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel, utilizing their networks to evade capture since 2015.
What’s Next?
This bilateral operation between the U.S. and Mexico marks a significant escalation. With Wedding’s assets being seized and his legal counsel facing extradition, authorities believe the walls are finally closing in on the “snowboarder kingpin.”
