Video shows FBI capturing dramatic return of Ryan Wedding to US after arrest
Newly released footage shows the dramatic return of Ryan Wedding, the once-celebrated Olympic snowboarder who has now been accused of leading a drug trafficking operation, to the United States in handcuffs on January 23, 2026. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that Wedding, who was apprehended in Mexico, is believed to have overseen the transportation of roughly 60 tons of cocaine from Latin American countries into the U.S. each year. Additionally, he stands accused of masterminding multiple homicides in connection with these drug-related activities.
According to a statement by the FBI, Wedding allegedly played a pivotal role in an extensive transnational drug trafficking network responsible for shipping substantial quantities of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California to various destinations across the United States and Canada. The agency also suggested that Wedding was directly implicated in coordinating the murders of individuals connected to his illicit operations.
Following his apprehension in Mexico, Wedding, 44, who was listed as one of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted fugitives since March 2025, voluntarily surrendered himself to authorities at the U.S. embassy in Mexico City on Thursday before being extradited to California. FBI Director Kash Patel likened Wedding to the infamous drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, stating during a press briefing that Wedding was akin to a modern-day version of El Chapo.
Authorities suspect that Wedding had been evading capture by residing in Mexico for over a decade. Initially wanted for drug trafficking and murder charges since 2024 as part of the Sinaloa Cartel, Wedding had eluded law enforcement until his recent capture. In acknowledging the diplomatic support received during the operation, Attorney General Pam Bondi credited President Trump’s administration for its strong stance on upholding law and order, emphasizing that fugitives like Wedding would find no sanctuary under the current administration.
Federal records revealed that Wedding was previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the U.S. and served a prison sentence in 2010. In the present case, Wedding faces new charges related to his involvement in managing a multi-country drug trafficking enterprise, as well as his alleged role in the brutal murders of a federal informant and three others. Hailing from Canada, Wedding gained Olympic recognition in 2002 when he competed as a snowboarder in the Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
The recent revelations surrounding Wedding’s criminal exploits and subsequent arrest underscore the persistence of law enforcement agencies in bringing perpetrators of large-scale drug trafficking and violence to justice. The extensive network overseen by Wedding highlights the interconnected nature of transnational drug enterprises and the lengths to which individuals will go to profit from such illegal undertakings.