FBI Arrests Ex-Olympian Ryan Wedding in Mexico
Ryan Wedding was arrested in Mexico City on Jan. 22 and flown to the U.S. to face charges alleging cocaine trafficking and multiple murders.
Overview
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Jan. 23, 2026, that FBI agents arrested Ryan Wedding, 44, in Mexico City on Jan. 22 and flew him to the United States to face federal charges.
Prosecutors allege in a superseding indictment unsealed Oct. 2024 that Ryan Wedding led a transnational cocaine trafficking ring that shipped hundreds of kilograms from Colombia through Mexico to the United States, according to court documents.
Mexico Secretary of Security Omar García Harfuch said Wedding surrendered at the U.S. Embassy, while FBI officials described an arrest in Mexico City, accounts that officials acknowledged were in conflict.
Assistant Director Akil Davis said authorities arrested 36 people tied to Wedding's alleged organization and seized assets worth tens of millions of dollars, including luxury vehicles, artwork and jewellery.
Wedding is expected to remain in custody and make an initial U.S. court appearance on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, and prosecutors said a conviction on the top count could carry a minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources largely adopt law-enforcement framing, prioritizing official statements and sensational descriptors. They foreground DOJ/FBI characterizations (e.g., “narco‑trafficker,” comparisons to Pablo Escobar), dramatic imagery (plane arrival, seized motorcycles, Olympic medals) and reward figures, while offering little defense or independent context. Quotes of officials are source content; repetition and selection form the editorial frame.
Sources (25)
FAQ
Ryan Wedding, born September 14, 1981, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, was a snowboarder who joined the Canadian National Freestyle Ski Team at age 15, won medals at Junior World Championships in 1999 and 2001, and competed in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, finishing 24th in Parallel Giant Slalom.
Wedding faces federal charges for leading a transnational cocaine trafficking ring shipping hundreds of kilograms from Colombia through Mexico to the US, and multiple murders, with a superseding indictment unsealed in October 2024.
Wedding was arrested in Mexico City on January 22, 2026, and flown to the US; Mexico's Security Secretary said he surrendered at the US Embassy, while FBI described it as an arrest.
The organization allegedly shipped hundreds of kilograms (over 54-60 tons annually) of cocaine; authorities arrested 36 people, seized assets worth tens of millions including luxury vehicles, artwork, and jewelry.
History
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