A former Olympic snowboarder has been accused of allegedly running a billion-dollar transnational drug cartel, which also executed people who got in the cartel’s way. The man in question is former Olympic snowboarder, Ryan Wedding, who is believed to be living in Mexico, and the cartel allegedly trafficked almost 60 tons of cocaine each year.
Ryan Wedding represented his nation, Canada, at the 2002 Winter Olympics that took place in Salt Lake City. At that competition, he placed 24th in the parallel giant slalom.
Wedding is now on the run from US authorities and is accused of operating a “prolific and ruthless” criminal enterprise for thirteen years.
Wedding threw away his Olympic snowboarding legacy to manage a drug cartel
US Attorney Martin Estrada has spoken most openly about the case and offered his analysis on how Wedding tarnished his legacy as an Olympic snowboarder to act in evil ways.
At the briefing, Estrada said, “Instead of using the privileges that come with being an Olympic athlete to do good for people, he did the opposite. He chose to become a major drug trafficker and he chose to become a killer.”
The former Olympic snowboarder is the main defendant in an indictment that also involves another Canadian national, who was arrested on October 8th, and fourteen more codefendants. Twelve of the codefendants in this case are already in custody of American authorities.
Ryan Wedding is charged with eight felonies
In what seems more like the plot of a tragic Hollywood movie, the former Olympic snowboarder has been charged with eight felonies. Among these charges are conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to export cocaine, leading a drug cartel, and numerous counts of murder.
The FBI is currently offering a $50,000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest and extradition of the former Olympic snowboarder.
Ryan Wedding has a history of being involved with shady businesses such as drug cartels. Fifteen years ago, he was convicted in the United States for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and had been imprisoned for over a year. It is widely believed by authorities that, after his release, he went back to drug trafficking and subsequently established the drug cartel.
In the indictment that was released, it is alleged that Wedding’s cartel “routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to Canada and the United States and orchestrated multiple murders in furtherance of these drug crimes.”
