<body><div> A former Olympic snowboarder&nbsp;has been charged with running a sophisticated drug-trafficking ring that ordered multiple murders. Ryan James Wedding, 43, who competed for Canada in Salt Lake City's 2002 Winter <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/index.html" rel="nofollow"> Olympics </a> , is accused by federal prosecutors of choosing a life of <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/crime/index.html" rel="nofollow"> crime </a> following his snowboarding career. Specifically, they claim he ran a drug ring that 'routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine' from Columbia through <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/mexico/index.html" rel="nofollow"> Mexico </a> and into Southern <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/california/index.html" rel="nofollow"> California </a> . From there, the drugs would would travel throughout the United States and <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/canada/index.html" rel="nofollow"> Canada </a> , according to prosecutors. Wedding and alleged accomplice Andrew Clark, 34, both Canadian citizens living in Mexico, are said to have orchestrated the murders of three people over various drug disputes. <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3uh9bt_0wBBj7DA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3uh9bt_0wBBj7DA00" width="634" height="826" ><figcaption>Wedding, who's known by many aliases, remains at large, according to the FBI </figcaption></figure> 'He chose to become a major drug trafficker and a killer,' US Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada said of Wedding during a news conference, according to the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-10-17/former-canadian-olympic-snowboarder-charged-with-running-drug-trafficking-organization-ordering-killings" rel="nofollow"> Los Angeles Times </a> . Wedding remains at large, according to&nbsp;FBI Special Agent in Charge Krysti Hawkins, who also spoke at the conference. On Thursday, prosecutors unsealed the 16-count superseding indictment against Wedding, Clark and 14 other defendants who are allegedly part of the gang. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Wedding and Clark, who was arrested this month in Mexico, were the first ones charged in the original indictment. The new indictment accuses the group of funneling massive amounts of cocaine throughout the US and Canada - approximately 60 tons per year, according to Estrada. Prosecutors said Hardeep&nbsp;Ratte and Gurpreet Singh ran the Canadian drug transportation network. <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3LvYb3_0wBBj7DA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3LvYb3_0wBBj7DA00" width="634" height="423" ><figcaption>In a demonstration, prosecutors show off the items authorities seized from the alleged drug-trafficking ring, includig more than a ton's worth of cocaine and dozens of rounds of ammunition and more than $3 million </figcaption></figure><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> The cocaine was stored in Los Angeles stash houses before being trucked up to Canada, according to authorities. Prosecutors called it a billion-dollar operation, and as part of their investigation, seized over a ton of cocaine, dozens of rounds of ammunition and more than $3 million in cryptocurrency. Wedding and Clark would do just about anything to protect their wealth, prosecutors said. 'They were killers. Anyone who got in their way they would target with violence, including murder,' Estrada said. They were accused of hiring hitmen to carry out revenge killings of people they thought were getting in the way of their profits. The duo allegedly ordered the murders of two members of an Indian family from Ontario, Canada because they believed they stole a drug shipment. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Estrada said it was a case of mistaken identity. The couple was shot in front of their daughter, who was also shot but managed to survive with serious injuries. <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2pbDw4_0wBBj7DA00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2pbDw4_0wBBj7DA00" width="634" height="815" ><figcaption>The FBI's wanted flier for Wedding, which calls him armed and dangerous </figcaption></figure> Wedding and Clark also ordered a hit on another person over not paying a drug debt owed to them, Estrada said. The victim was shot to death in his car while he sat in the driveway of his home, according to prosecutors. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Wedding, whose aliases include 'El Jefe,' 'Giant,' and 'Public Enemy,' is the lead defendant and was charged with eight felonies, including three counts of murder. Clark, dubbed 'The Dictator,' was charged with the same eight felonies. Wedding was first arrested on cocaine distribution charges in 2008. A year later, a San Diego federal jury convicted him of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine. So far, 12 people have been arrested in the US, Canada, Columbia, and Mexico in connection to the alleged drug-trafficking ring. There is now a $50,000 reward for anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of Wedding, who is considered armed and dangerous. </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

Ryan James Wedding, 43, who competed for Canada in Salt Lake City's 2002 Winter Olympics, is accused by federal prosecutors of choosing a life of crime following his snowboarding career.