RYAN WEDDING PLEADS NOT GUILTY 2026: Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding denies 17 federal charges, including drug kingpin allegations and contract murders. Read about his $15M FBI bounty, the Sinaloa Cartel connection, and the upcoming March 2026 trial.
In a high-security hearing that drew international attention, former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding pleaded not guilty on Monday, January 26, 2026, to 17 federal felony charges.
The 44-year-old, who once represented Canada in the 2002 Winter Games, is accused of leading a transnational drug empire that authorities describe as one of the most violent and prolific trafficking organizations in modern history.
Appearing in a tan jail jumpsuit with his ankles shackled at the Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse, Wedding remained calm and even smiled at his legal team. The hearing was moved from Los Angeles to Santa Ana at the last minute due to ongoing protests in the city.
The “Giant Slalom” of Crime: 60 Tons of Cocaine
Federal prosecutors allege that Wedding, whose aliases included “El Jefe“ and “Public Enemy,” spent over a decade building a billion-dollar narcotics network under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel.
- The Operation: Authorities claim Wedding’s organization moved approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine annually, using semitrucks to transport shipments from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California into Canada.
- The Violence: The indictment includes grisly details of multiple contract killings, including the November 2023 murder of a Canadian family over a stolen shipment and the January 2025 assassination of a federal witness in Medellín, Colombia.
- The Bounty: Wedding had been a fixture on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list since early 2025, with a staggering $15 million reward offered for his capture.
The Arraignment Breakdown
| Detail | Status |
| Total Charges | 17 Felony Counts (Indictments 2024 & 2025) |
| Key Allegations | Continuing Criminal Enterprise, Murder, Witness Tampering |
| Plea | Not Guilty on all counts |
| Custody Status | Remanded without bail; deemed a “significant flight risk” |
| Trial Date | Tentatively set for March 24, 2026 |
Apprehension vs. Surrender: The Defense Strikes Back
A point of contention emerged immediately following the hearing. While Mexican officials and U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson claimed Wedding “surrendered voluntarily“ at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City last Thursday, Wedding’s attorney, Anthony Colombo, flatly denied those reports.
“He didn’t surrender,” Colombo told reporters outside the courthouse. “He was apprehended. He was arrested. Any spin the government is putting on this to suggest he walked in is inaccurate. Mr. Wedding has been living in Mexico, not hiding, and this has been a whirlwind for him.”
Colombo also hinted that he would eventually file a motion for bail, though he noted he would request the documents be sealed to protect Wedding’s family.
The Olympic Fall from Grace
The case has fascinated the public due to Wedding’s background as an elite athlete. He finished 24th in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
FBI Director Kash Patel, who was present for Wedding’s arrival in California on Friday, compared the former athlete to “a modern-day Pablo Escobar.”
Patel noted that the arrest marks the culmination of Operation Giant Slalom, a multi-year joint effort between the FBI, the RCMP, and authorities in Mexico and Colombia.
