From Olympic Snowboarder to Most Wanted: The Disturbing Transformation of Ryan Wedding

From Olympic Snowboarder to Most Wanted: The Disturbing Transformation of Ryan Wedding

The FBI has named Ryan Wedding as its newest Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive. Once a promising Olympic snowboarder, he now faces serious allegations, including drug trafficking and murder. 

Wedding, a former Canadian Olympian, has found his name on the FBI’s Most Wanted list and the agency is offering a reward of $10 million for information leading to his capture. Authorities allege that he led a transnational drug trafficking organization that transported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico, all the way to Canada and various locations across the U.S.

Additionally, he is accused of orchestrating and attempting multiple murders during his criminal career.

Tragically, an ex-wife has also become ensnared in the chaos surrounding him.

This article explores the journey that transformed Wedding from an athlete into one of the world’s most dangerous criminals.

Early Life: Roots in Thunder Bay

Ryan Wedding was born in 1981 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, a place once renowned for its lumber and grain shipping. Unfortunately, the town’s shipping industry declined during the ’70s and ’80s, coinciding with Wedding’s early years. This decline left a lasting effect, contributing to higher crime rates in the area.

According to national census data, Thunder Bay recorded the highest per-capita murder rate from 2012 to 2014 and again from 2016 to 2019 among Canadian cities.

Wedding grew up in a skiing family. His father, Rene, was a college skier, while his mother, Karen, had a brother on the Canadian national ski team. Their family even operated a small ski hill, further cementing their connection to winter sports.

A Natural Talent Emerges

When Wedding took up snowboarding, he displayed a characteristic vital for both elite athletes and criminals alike: fearlessness. Bobby Allison, a former national champion in ski racing, remarked in 2009, “Ryan had no fear. A lot of kids want to go fast but hold back due to the fear of falling. Ryan showed none of that fear.”

In 1991, his family relocated from Thunder Bay to Coquitlam, British Columbia. While Coquitlam boasts lower crime rates, drug-related issues remain a concern, with a notable rate of people using or dealing drugs in the area.

Wedding quickly proved his prowess in snowboarding, winning his first race at age 12. By 15, he had joined the Canadian national team and traveled globally for competitions. His father invested heavily in Wedding’s career, spending approximately $40,000 to support his ambitions, according to reports.

The Olympic Dream

Obsessed with perfecting his technique, Wedding also employed his father’s engineering expertise to modify his snowboarding gear for competitive advantage. After narrowly missing the 1998 Winter Olympics, he qualified for the 2002 Games held in Salt Lake City.

Unfortunately, Wedding’s effort ended without triumph. Competing in the men’s parallel giant slalom, he finished 24th, far from the podium. Switzerland’s Philipp Schoch took gold while Chris Klug from the U.S. secured bronze.

After the Olympics, Wedding enrolled at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, a city emerging as a hub for illegal marijuana trade. Despite drug laws, enforcement was lax, allowing