FBI Places $10 Million Bounty on Former Olympian Accused of Drug Trafficking

TLDR

• FBI placed a $10 million bounty on former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding for allegedly running a transnational drug syndicate
• Wedding allegedly used Tether (USDT) to launder money from cocaine and fentanyl trafficking operations
• Wedding is accused of orchestrating multiple murders, including targeting a family in Ontario in 2023
• The former Olympian is believed to be hiding in Mexico under protection of the Sinaloa cartel
• If convicted, Wedding faces life in prison, with additional charges carrying 10-20 year sentences

The FBI has announced a $10 million bounty for information leading to the capture of Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder. Wedding is accused of running a major cocaine trafficking operation that used cryptocurrency to launder money.

U.S. authorities added Wedding to their Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on Thursday. The large reward is part of the State Department’s “Narcotics Rewards Program” as law enforcement intensifies efforts to apprehend him.

“Wedding went from shredding powder on the slopes at the Olympics to distributing powder cocaine on the streets of U.S. cities and in his native Canada,” said Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.

The former athlete’s alleged criminal activities first came to light in October 2024. That’s when the Department of Justice filed charges against Wedding and 15 other defendants.

The indictment claims Wedding led a drug trafficking syndicate. This organization allegedly moved cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and into the United States and Canada.

Federal authorities say Wedding smuggled hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl. The operation used violence to protect its business interests across North America.

A key aspect of the case involves Wedding’s alleged use of cryptocurrency. Prosecutors claim he used Tether (USDT), the largest stablecoin by market cap, to launder money from drug sales.

From Athlete to Fugitive

This method allowed Wedding to bypass traditional banking systems. Tether has not responded to requests for comment about its currency being used in this way.

The case highlights a growing trend of criminal organizations using stablecoins. A November report showed Mexican drug cartels, including the Sinaloa cartel, increasingly rely on Tether to move money across borders.

Wedding’s operation allegedly turned violent when faced with obstacles. Along with co-conspirator Andrew Clark, Wedding is accused of ordering multiple murders.

One such incident targeted a family in Ontario, Canada in 2023. These violent acts were reportedly carried out to eliminate threats to their drug business.

While Clark has been arrested in Mexico, Wedding remains at large. Law enforcement believes he is hiding in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel.

The consequences for Wedding if captured will be severe. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in federal prison if convicted of running a continuing criminal enterprise.

Additional murder and attempted murder charges carry minimum sentences of 20 years. Drug trafficking charges could add 10 to 15 more years to his sentence.

Beyond the State Department’s $10 million reward, the FBI has added their own $50,000 bounty. This brings the total potential reward for information leading to Wedding’s capture to over $10 million.

This case occurs as authorities increasingly focus on cryptocurrency’s role in criminal activities. In January 2025, Tether joined forces with Tron and TRM Labs to form the T3 Financial Crime Unit.

This coalition has already frozen more than $126 million in USDT linked to criminal activity. They work directly with law enforcement worldwide to prevent stablecoins from being used by criminal networks.

The U.S. government has seized millions of dollars in USDT connected to cocaine trafficking. Ongoing investigations continue to reveal how cartels use cryptocurrency to hide their illegal profits.