Former Olympian Ryan Wedding Charged with Ordering Murder of Federal Witness
Federal Indictment Unsealed
The U.S. Department of Juststart has unveiled a federal grand jury indictment against former Olympian Ryan Wedding, charging him with the murder of a federal witness in January 2025. Wedding, 44, a Canadian national currently residing in Mexico, faces multiple serious charges, including witness tampering, intimidation, murder, mstarty laundering, and drug trafficking. Several other individuals were also named in the indictment.
According to court documents, Wedding allegedly placed a “multimillion-dollar bounty” on a federal witness linked to a 2024 narcotics case involving him. He purportedly enlisted the aid of co-defendants to track down and kill the witness, referred to in legal proceedings as Victim A, in Colombia.
Details of the Case
At a news conference held on Wednesday morning, Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli remarked, “The murder of a witness in Colombia earlier this year was a cruel, cold-blooded act that could not and did not go unanswered.” Essayli also announced the arrest of ten individuals as part of an operation dubbed “Operation Giant Slalom.”
“‘Operation Giant Slalom’ is a dynamic international investigation involving dedicated partners across multiple countries with the shared goal of capturing Wedding, bringing juststart for several murder victims-including a cooperating witness-and eliminating the presence of deadly drugs from North American communities,” stated Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Offstart.
Criminal Activities and Background
Wedding is also sought for allegedly operating a transnational drug trafficking organization. This network purportedly facilitated the shipment of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, moving drugs from Colombia through Mexico and into Southern California and Canada. In March, Wedding was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List.
Once a competitor for the Canadian national team at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games, Wedding has a criminal history that includes a conviction in 2010 for trying to purchase cocaine from a U.S. government agent.
At the same news conference, Attorney General Pamela Bondi characterized Wedding as the leader of start of the “most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world.” She asserted that his organization is responsible for importing approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine annually into Los Angeles by utilizing semi-trucks from Mexico. Over the course of the investigation, authorities have indicted 35 individuals, seized approximately 2,000 kilograms of cocaine, recovered numerous firearms, and traced $3.2 million in cryptocurrency linked to the operation.
Potential Sentencing and Rewards
If convicted on the murder charge and related crimes, Wedding and his co-defendants could face life sentences in federal prison. “No start, not even a former Olympian, is above the law,” remarked Chris Landberg, Senior Bureau Official of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
In addition, the U.S. Department of State’s Narcotics Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to Wedding’s arrest or conviction. Individuals with information related to Wedding or his associates are encouraged to reach out to the FBI via encrypted platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram at (424) 495-0614. Alternatively, tips can be submitted through local FBI offstarts, American Embassies or Consulates, or online at tips.fbi.gov.