Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding is now among the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives, and is wanted for murder of a federal witness, according to an indictment that was unsealed on Wednesday.
Wedding is wanted by the FBI for allegedly “placing a bounty” on a witness’s head in the “erroneous belief that the victim’s death would result in the dismissal of criminal charges against him and his international drug trafficking ring,” according to authorities.
Wedding, who was a member of the Canadian snowboarding team at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, now runs one of the “most prolific and violent drug-trafficking organizations in the world” according to United States Attorney General Pam Bondi. Wedding’s organization is responsible for importing 60 metric tons of cocaine per year into the Los Angeles area from Mexico and he is currently the largest distributor of cocaine in Canada, according to Bondi.
Wedding, who is also wanted on drug trafficking charges, is now being pursued by authorities for murder after a witness was fatally shot at a restaurant before he could testify against him. In addition to the new murder charge, Wedding is also facing charges of witness tampering and intimidation, as well as money laundering, in addition to the drug trafficking charges.
In addition to Wedding, the indictment includes several others, including a Canadian lawyer, who are alleged to be involved in the murder of the witness.
The United States Department of State reward for information leading to Wedding's arrest is now set to $15 million, up from a previous $10 million,
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Former Olympic Snowboarder Ryan Wedding Charged in Death of Federal Witness.
