FBI Arrests Canadian Snowboarder Turned Alleged Drug Lord in Mexico City
A former Canadian Olympic snowboarder has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on charges of cocaine trafficking and murder, amid allegations that he had become a prominent figure in Mexico's notorious Sinaloa Cartel.
Ryan Wedding, 44, was taken into custody in Mexico City last week, where he had been living for over a decade under the protection of the cartel. The FBI has accused him of controlling an operation responsible for generating more than $1 billion annually in illicit drug proceeds, with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Wedding's alleged involvement in the trafficking ring is said to have poured narcotics into the streets of North America, claiming the lives of numerous young people and corrupting countless citizens. The FBI has also accused him of hiring assassins to target individuals perceived as rivals or law enforcement coordinators.
In a news conference, FBI head Kash Patel likened Wedding to notorious cartel leaders Joaquin Guzman, known as El Chapo, and Pablo Escobar, drawing parallels between the former snowboarder's rise to power and that of these infamous figures.
The arrest marks a significant blow to the Sinaloa Cartel, with 36 people connected to Wedding's alleged ring now in custody. Authorities have also seized assets worth tens of millions of dollars, including luxury vehicles, valuable artwork, and jewelry.
Wedding's initial court appearance is set for Monday, where he will face charges related to cocaine trafficking and murder. His aliases include "El Jefe," "Giant," and "Public Enemy."
The arrest comes as Mexico steps up extraditions of accused cartel members to the US, in an effort that has been seen by some as an attempt to ward off potential military actions in the country, which have been threatened by the Trump administration.
A former Canadian Olympic snowboarder has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on charges of cocaine trafficking and murder, amid allegations that he had become a prominent figure in Mexico's notorious Sinaloa Cartel.
Ryan Wedding, 44, was taken into custody in Mexico City last week, where he had been living for over a decade under the protection of the cartel. The FBI has accused him of controlling an operation responsible for generating more than $1 billion annually in illicit drug proceeds, with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Wedding's alleged involvement in the trafficking ring is said to have poured narcotics into the streets of North America, claiming the lives of numerous young people and corrupting countless citizens. The FBI has also accused him of hiring assassins to target individuals perceived as rivals or law enforcement coordinators.
In a news conference, FBI head Kash Patel likened Wedding to notorious cartel leaders Joaquin Guzman, known as El Chapo, and Pablo Escobar, drawing parallels between the former snowboarder's rise to power and that of these infamous figures.
The arrest marks a significant blow to the Sinaloa Cartel, with 36 people connected to Wedding's alleged ring now in custody. Authorities have also seized assets worth tens of millions of dollars, including luxury vehicles, valuable artwork, and jewelry.
Wedding's initial court appearance is set for Monday, where he will face charges related to cocaine trafficking and murder. His aliases include "El Jefe," "Giant," and "Public Enemy."
The arrest comes as Mexico steps up extraditions of accused cartel members to the US, in an effort that has been seen by some as an attempt to ward off potential military actions in the country, which have been threatened by the Trump administration.
i mean like wut happened to him? how did he get mixed up with that cartel? sounds so crazy... anyway, the FBI just arrested him and it's huge news 
apparently he was making over $1 billion from drugs alone which is wild 
the parallels to el chapo & pablo escobar are pretty intense 
i cant even believe he was livin life under the cartel's protection for over 10 years! and now the FBI is all up in his grill 
i feel bad for the people who got hurt by his alleged trafficking ring, but like how did he go from bein an olympic athlete to a cartel boss tho? 
anyway, this arrest is def a major blow to the sinaloa cartel and hopefully it'll bring some much needed justice 
44? He's been snowboarding since he was a kid and now this?? 
i mean what even is life? he was literally living under the protection of the sinaloa cartel for over a decade and now he's getting iced by the FBI 
36 people in custody already and they're still finding more assets worth millions... this dude was raking it in on all that coke 
.
and let's be real, $1 billion in illicit drug proceeds? that's some next-level greed 
. I feel bad for his family, too... they must be going through some dark times right now 
. The FBI is doing its job, but I wish they could've caught him sooner, maybe saved some lives along the way 
.