(MENAFN- Live Mint) Ryan Wedding, 44, is a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who competed at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games, finishing 24th in the parallel giant slalom. Wedding is now infamous as an international drug trafficker, accused of running one of the largest narcotics pipelines in the Western Hemisphere.

Authorities say Wedding evolved into a“modern-day Pablo Escobar,” operating a drug trafficking empire that moved up to 60 tons of cocaine a year from Colombia through Mexico and into the United States and Canada.

His aliases reportedly include“El Jefe,”“Public Enemy,”“Giant,” and“James Conrad King.”

What are the charges against him?

Wedding faces multiple federal charges in the United States, including:

1. Running a multi-national drug trafficking network

Accused of orchestrating a colossal narcotics pipeline involving the Sinaloa cartel.

Used long-haul trucks and cross-border routes between Colombia, Mexico, Southern California, and Canada.

Allegedly responsible for shipping hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cocaine annually.

2. Narco-terrorism and conspiracy

US officials say Wedding engineered a narco-terrorism operation unprecedented in recent years.

3. Ordering the murder of a federal witness

January 2025: A witness in a pending federal case against Wedding was tracked down and shot five times at a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia.

Authorities say Wedding believed killing the witness would force the dismissal of the case and prevent his extradition.

4. Using a website to facilitate the killing

Wedding and his associates allegedly used a Canadian website,“The Dirty News,” to post the witness's photo so he could be identified and killed.

The site's founder, Gursewak Singh Bal, was arrested for his role in the plot.

5. Conspiracy involving his own lawyer

His lawyer, Deepak Paradkar, was arrested in Canada.

Prosecutors say Paradkar advised Wedding that killing the witness would make the case disappear.

Additional arrests

Seven individuals linked to Wedding's operation were arrested in Canada.

Three more suspects connected to the Medellín killing were detained elsewhere.

Where is Ryan Wedding now?

Wedding is currently on the run and is believed to be:

– Hiding in Mexico

Authorities say he is living under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel, one of the world's most powerful criminal organizations.

– Considered extremely dangerous

FBI agents describe Wedding as:

“Extremely violent”

“Extremely wealthy”

Fully embedded in cartel structures

He remains among the FBI's 'Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.'

How much is the reward for his capture?

The US State Department has increased the reward to:

$15 MILLION for information leading to his arrest

It is one of the highest bounties ever offered for a North American fugitive.

Additionally:

Up to $2 million each is being offered for others involved in the witness killing.

Why is he considered a top threat?

Canadian and US authorities say Wedding poses a critical threat because:

-His trafficking network spans multiple continents.

-He works closely with the Sinaloa cartel.

-He has demonstrated a willingness to order assassinations, including of federal witnesses.

-He controls a vast flow of cocaine into Canada and the United States.

“Fugitive Ryan Wedding remains one of the top threats to Canadian public safety,” the RCMP Commissioner stated.

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