tl;dr
Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding is now on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list with a $10 million bounty. Accused of leading a transnational cocaine empire, he faces charges for drug trafficking, money laundering using Tether (USDT), and orchestrating multiple murders. Wedding i...
Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list with a $10 million bounty. He is accused of leading a transnational cocaine empire, with charges for drug trafficking, money laundering using Tether (USDT), and orchestrating multiple murders. Wedding is believed to be hiding in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel, and if convicted, he faces life in federal prison and substantial sentences.
The FBI's investigation highlights the use of crypto, specifically Tether, in international and domestic crime, with Mexican drug cartels utilizing it for illicit fund transfers. U.S authorities have slapped a $10 million bounty for the capture of Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, who faces serious allegations of running a transnational cocaine empire.
The Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has offered a $10 million reward under the “Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP),” for any information that leads to Wedding’s capture. The FBI's Los Angeles Field Office assistant director emphasized Wedding's criminal activities and the dire need to capture him.
In October 2024, the DOJ filed criminal charges against Wedding and 15 other defendants, accusing them of leading the syndicate and committing multiple atrocities as part of their trafficking efforts. U.S. authorities claim Wedding allegedly used his criminal organization to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl into North America while orchestrating numerous murders to protect his business.
Wedding allegedly used Tether (USDT), the largest stablecoin by market cap, to launder money and bypass traditional banking systems. A Tether spokesperson did not immediately return Decrypt’s request for comment. Along with his co-conspirator Andrew Clark, Wedding allegedly ordered the murders of those who stood in their way, including a family targeted in Ontario, Canada, in 2023.
Wedding remains on the run, believed to be hiding in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel. If convicted, he and Clark face a mandatory minimum penalty of life in federal prison for their roles in running a continuing criminal enterprise. The murder and attempted murder charges carry mandatory minimum sentences of 20 years, while the drug trafficking charges could result in prison sentences of 10 to 15 years.
Aside from the $10 million reward from the State Department, the bounty also includes the FBI’s previously announced $50,000 reward for tips leading directly to Wedding’s capture.
The FBI’s investigation into Wedding’s operation provides ammunition for those that say crypto is increasingly used in international and domestic crime. A November report revealed Mexican drug cartels, including Sinaloa, rely on Tether to move illicit funds quickly across borders. This crypto, known for its stability and ease of transfer, has become a favorite tool for money laundering and illegal transactions.
The U.S. government has seized millions of dollars in USDT linked to cocaine trafficking, with additional investigations showing cartels using the currency to hide their proceeds.