Latest news with #RyanWedding
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Toronto Star
Ryan Wedding's new face: FBI believes fugitive ex-Olympian turned cartel boss may have had plastic surgery
Ryan Wedding over the years: on the left as a Canadian Olympic athlete in 2002, in the middle in a FBI mugshot taken from a 2013 driver's licence, and on the right in another FBI photo taken in 2024. Canadian Olympic Committee; FBI
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Toronto Star
Ryan Wedding may have gone under the knife, FBI says. A look at how fugitives use plastic surgery to evade authorities
They've remodelled their noses, smoothed out their wrinkles, and filled their faces with silicone. However, for these fugitives, the goal wasn't to regain an air of youthfulness, but an attempt at freedom. That appears be in the case in the ongoing manhunt for ex-Olympian-turned-drug lord Ryan Wedding, sought by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation for allegedly running a cross-border drug trafficking ring that routinely smuggled enormous quantities of cocaine into Canada and orchestrated multiple murders in Ontario.
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
As search for alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding continues, FBI zeroes in on central Mexico
Photos released by the FBI show Ryan James Wedding who is wanted on a number of charges. (FBI) The FBI believes Ryan Wedding, the Canadian ex-Olympic snowboarder and alleged leader of a multi-national, billion-dollar drug empire, is still in Mexico as agents concentrate their search efforts near the nation's capital. In a statement to CTV News Toronto, an FBI spokesperson said their current Spanish social media campaign aimed at tracking down Wedding, who was added to the agency's Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in March, is focused on the state of Mexico, which surrounds Mexico City. 'The FBI believes Wedding is in Mexico. We will never rule out that a fugitive could be in another country, particularly someone like Wedding with financial means, but that is where our publicity efforts are focused at this time,' Laura Eimiller said in an email Friday. The spokesperson underscored that officials believe Wedding is being protected by the Sinaloa Cartel as they seek information leading to his arrest in exchange for a US$10 million reward. The FBI has been searching for Wedding since he was named alongside 15 other defendants in a U.S. indictment unsealed in October 2024, which charged that he and his alleged 'second in command,' Torontonian Andrew Clark, directed a combined four murders in Ontario in furtherance of their drug empire. Canadian former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, 43, who is a fugitive, is seen top left, with 15 other defendants who have been charged in a 16-count superseding indictment for allegedly running and participating in a transnational drug trafficking... Canadian former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, 43, who is a fugitive, is seen top left, with 15 other defendants who have been charged in a 16-count superseding indictment for allegedly running and participating in a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada and other locations in the United States, are displayed on a video monitor as federal, local, and international officials announce federal charges and arrests of alleged members at a news conference at the FBI offices in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Damian Dovarganes The 43-year-old, whose aliases include 'El Jefe,' (or 'The Boss' in Spanish), is accused of orchestrating the drug-trafficking network which allegedly moved hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, and into Canada in what officials have called one of the 'most sophisticated drug trafficking networks in North America.' READ MORE: What we know about the Canadians busted in an international drug ring led by a former Olympic athlete Wedding, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is one of 10 Canadians named in the indictment and remains at large. Gennadii Bilonog, another Canadian who authorities say worked as a transportation dispatcher for the alleged drug ring, is also outstanding. All remaining defendants have been arrested and charged. Ryan James Wedding Ryan James Wedding is shown on the left in an image released by the FBI. The image on the right shows Wedding competing in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. The FBI wouldn't say if they believe Wedding is currently in the state of Mexico. However, details revealed in an extradition court application previously obtained by CTV News Toronto showed that police south of the border knew Wedding and Clark were in Mexico City in January 2024 to meet with a cooperating witness. Earlier this year, U.S. prosecutors alleged that Wedding still had access to a 'network of hitmen' and the RCMP, which is assisting the FBI in their investigation, said 'elements' of his operation are still active in Canada.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
FBI focuses on central Mexico in hunt for Canadian ex-Olympian Ryan Wedding
U.S. investigators searching for Canadian Olympian-turned-fugitive Ryan Wedding have zeroed in on a region in central Mexico, CBC News has learned. The FBI said it has launched a social media campaign seeking to elicit tips on Wedding's whereabouts from residents of the state of Mexico, which surrounds the capital, Mexico City, to the west, north and east. "We believe that there are potentially people in that area who have information about his whereabouts," FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller told CBC News. She declined to say whether agents believe Wedding is hiding in the region. "I think it's self-explanatory why we have concentrated our efforts there," Eimiller said. The FBI's announcement amounts to the first public acknowledgement that its agents are focusing efforts on a specific area in the search for Wedding. The Thunder Bay, Ont.-born Wedding, who competed for Canada as a snowboarder at the 2002 Olympic Games, has been wanted by the RCMP for a decade. Authorities allege the 43-year-old leads a murderous criminal network that routinely ships tons of fentanyl and cocaine across North America. Wedding was indicted last year by a grand jury in California on charges that include murder, leading a continuing criminal enterprise and conspiracy to export cocaine. He was added this past March to the FBI's list of 10 most-wanted fugitives. The U.S. State Department is offering a reward of up to $10 million US for information leading to the Canadian's capture. The FBI previously suggested that Wedding may be living in Mexico, under the protection of the notorious Sinaloa cartel, once led by drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. "Wedding, who is wealthy, is dangerous and has connections in very high places," Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, previously said. "We know it will take a great deal of money ... for someone to turn this individual in." Wedding seen in Mexico City in 2024 Wedding — who goes by multiple aliases, including Public Enemy, Giant and "El Jefe," or "The Boss" — has been spotted in the Mexican capital before. Court records show that Wedding and his second-in-command, fellow Canadian Andrew Clark, met with a key FBI informant in a Starbucks in Mexico City in January 2024. What's more, CBC's visual investigations unit has determined that a 2024 photo of Wedding wearing a blue L.A. Dodgers cap released by the FBI earlier this year was taken near a hotel in Mexico City's Sante Fe business district. CBC's team used open-source information and maps to make the finding, with help from two independent researchers from the investigative journalism group Bellingcat's Discord community. The FBI previously declined to say where the photo had been taken. The agency's new advertising campaign seeking tips on Wedding's whereabouts began about a month ago, Eimiller, the FBI spokesperson, said. Facebook users in the state of Mexico are shown the FBI's "wanted" poster with Wedding's photo and description in Spanish, she said. "We're obviously continuing to seek Mr. Wedding, and we're hoping to generate more leads," Eimiller said. WATCH | Ryan Wedding's path from Olympian to fugitive: FBI, RCMP meet in Ottawa The renewed efforts come as the FBI's Davis travelled to Ottawa on Wednesday to meet RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme. The two discussed co-operation and "joint efforts in targeting transnational organized crime," the FBI said in a social media post. An RCMP spokesperson did not immediately provide a comment on Thursday when asked whether the search for Wedding was discussed at the meeting. The Mounties have previously said Wedding poses "one of the largest organized crime threats to Canada, even as a fugitive." The RCMP first moved to arrest Wedding in 2015, when he was charged as part of a large-scale investigation into cocaine imports to Canada. Wedding, who was living in Montreal at the time, has evaded capture ever since. Authorities have alleged that Wedding and Clark orchestrated at least four murders in Ontario, including the mistaken-identity shootings of a couple visiting from India. Clark, known as "The Dictator," was arrested in Mexico last year and later transferred to U.S. custody. He has pleaded not guilty to murder and drug trafficking-related charges. Last week, a Toronto-area man accused of serving as a drug courier for Wedding's transnational network agreed to be extradited to face charges in California.
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
FBI focuses on central Mexico in hunt for Canadian ex-Olympian Ryan Wedding
Social Sharing U.S. investigators searching for Canadian Olympian-turned-fugitive Ryan Wedding have zeroed in on a region in central Mexico, CBC News has learned. The FBI said it has launched a social media campaign seeking to elicit tips on Wedding's whereabouts from residents of the state of Mexico, which surrounds the capital, Mexico City, to the west, north and east. "We believe that there are potentially people in that area who have information about his whereabouts," FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller told CBC News. She declined to say whether agents believe Wedding is hiding in the region. "I think it's self-explanatory why we have concentrated our efforts there," Eimiller said. The FBI's announcement amounts to the first public acknowledgement that its agents are focusing efforts on a specific area in the search for Wedding. The Thunder Bay, Ont.-born Wedding, who competed for Canada as a snowboarder at the 2002 Olympic Games, has been wanted by the RCMP for a decade. Authorities allege the 43-year-old leads a murderous criminal network that routinely ships tons of fentanyl and cocaine across North America. Wedding was indicted last year by a grand jury in California on charges that include murder, leading a continuing criminal enterprise and conspiracy to export cocaine. He was added this past March to the FBI's list of 10 most-wanted fugitives. The U.S. State Department is offering a reward of up to $10 million US for information leading to the Canadian's capture. The FBI previously suggested that Wedding may be living in Mexico, under the protection of the notorious Sinaloa cartel, once led by drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. "Wedding, who is wealthy, is dangerous and has connections in very high places," Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, previously said. "We know it will take a great deal of money ... for someone to turn this individual in." Wedding seen in Mexico City in 2024 Wedding — who goes by multiple aliases, including Public Enemy, Giant and "El Jefe," or "The Boss" — has been spotted in the Mexican capital before. Court records show that Wedding and his second-in-command, fellow Canadian Andrew Clark, met with a key FBI informant in a Starbucks in Mexico City in January 2024. What's more, CBC's visual investigations unit has determined that a 2024 photo of Wedding wearing a blue L.A. Dodgers cap released by the FBI earlier this year was taken near a hotel in Mexico City's Sante Fe business district. CBC's team used open-source information and maps to make the finding, with help from two independent researchers from the investigative journalism group Bellingcat's Discord community. The FBI previously declined to say where the photo had been taken. The agency's new advertising campaign seeking tips on Wedding's whereabouts began about a month ago, Eimiller, the FBI spokesperson, said. Facebook users in the state of Mexico are shown the FBI's "wanted" poster with Wedding's photo and description in Spanish, she said. "We're obviously continuing to seek Mr. Wedding, and we're hoping to generate more leads," Eimiller said. WATCH | Ryan Wedding's path from Olympian to fugitive: Ryan Wedding's path from Olympian to most-wanted fugitive 5 months ago Ryan Wedding once represented Canada as an Olympic snowboarder; now he's accused of being a drug kingpin and is on the FBI's most wanted list — with a $10 million US reward being offered for information leading to his arrest. CBC's Thomas Daigle traces his shocking path from the top of the slopes to the underworld. FBI, RCMP meet in Ottawa The renewed efforts come as the FBI's Davis travelled to Ottawa on Wednesday to meet RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme. The two discussed co-operation and "joint efforts in targeting transnational organized crime," the FBI said in a social media post. An RCMP spokesperson did not immediately provide a comment on Thursday when asked whether the search for Wedding was discussed at the meeting. The Mounties have previously said Wedding poses "one of the largest organized crime threats to Canada, even as a fugitive." The RCMP first moved to arrest Wedding in 2015, when he was charged as part of a large-scale investigation into cocaine imports to Canada. Wedding, who was living in Montreal at the time, has evaded capture ever since. Authorities have alleged that Wedding and Clark orchestrated at least four murders in Ontario, including the mistaken-identity shootings of a couple visiting from India. Clark, known as "The Dictator," was arrested in Mexico last year and later transferred to U.S. custody. He has pleaded not guilty to murder and drug trafficking-related charges. Last week, a Toronto-area man accused of serving as a drug courier for Wedding's transnational network agreed to be extradited to face charges in California.
