US Authorities Offer $10 Million Reward for Former Canadian Olympian Turned Drug Lord

US law enforcement agencies have put forward a substantial reward totaling $10 million for information that aids in the apprehension of former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding. Now referred to by nicknames such as "El Jefe," "Giant," and "Public Enemy," Wedding faces serious allegations connected to a billion-dollar international narcotics and violence ring, including involvement in several murders.

Wedding, born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, competed in international athletics, representing Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. He placed 24th in the parallel giant slalom snowboarding event. Four years later, Wedding's name surfaced during an investigation involving a marijuana cultivation operation in British Columbia, but authorities did not file charges against him at the time.

Trouble mounted in 2010, however, when Wedding was convicted for drug trafficking after being caught attempting to procure cocaine from a US undercover agent. Despite receiving a four-year prison sentence and publicly contesting his charges with claims of unfair treatment by federal authorities, Wedding subsequently rose rapidly through the ranks of the illicit drug trade.

Currently identified as one of the FBI's ten most-wanted fugitives, authorities believe Wedding is in Mexico enjoying protection from the notorious Sinaloa cartel. Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Alan Hamilton emphasized that by increasing the reward amount, police intend to signal clearly to Wedding that no hiding place will remain safe.

Prosecutors accused Wedding last year of coordinating extensive cocaine shipments originating from Colombia, passing through southern California and Mexico, before reaching destinations within Canada. His network is also allegedly responsible for trafficking massive volumes of fentanyl—approximately five metric tonnes per month—into cities across North America.

Even more seriously, Wedding and another Canadian, Andrew Clark, reportedly orchestrated violent activities specifically targeting perceived threats or rivals. These allegations include the murder of a man in his vehicle outside his home due to drug debts. Authorities also noted some acts of violence mistakenly targeted innocent individuals, as seen in one tragic incident in Caledon, Ontario, in 2023. Gunmen attacked a rental property, resulting in the deaths of Jagtar Singh Sidhu and Harbhajan Kaur Sidhu, with their daughter Jaspreet critically injured after being shot 13 times. The family had immigrated to Canada only four months earlier.

Of the original sixteen defendants linked to this investigation, only Wedding and another suspect remain at large. Andrew Clark was apprehended by Mexican authorities in October 2024 and subsequently extradited to the US in February.