Ex-Olympic snowboarder pleads not guilty to running billion-dollar drug-smuggling ring
Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding pleaded not guilty in a US court to charges of running a billion-dollar drug trafficking ring and orchestrating multiple killings. Wedding, who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics, was one of the FBI’s top fugitives and had been hiding in Mexico for over a decade.
The story so far
- Jan 23
- Jan 26
How outlets cover it
6 outletsNot rated on the left–right scale. It describes Western party politics and doesn’t fit state media or outlets outside that system, so we show ownership and country instead.
Open questions and key claims
Patel described Wedding as a modern-day Pablo Escobar.
He is a modern-day El Chapo. He is a modern-day Pablo Escobar.
The indictments are not evidence, they’re just an accusation.
Wedding’s defence lawyer Anthony Colombo disputed that his client had turned himself in in Mexico.
Anthony Colombo disputed reports from Mexican officials that Wedding had turned himself in.
The organisation was the largest supplier of cocaine to Canada, bringing in an estimated $1bn a year.
Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder, has been arrested.
Wedding faces charges related to multinational drug trafficking and the killing of a federal witness.
Who and where
Related stories over time
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- Jan 23 – Jan 26◆ This story
- Feb 26 laterAt least 10 FBI staffers connected to Trump investigations fired3 articles · 3 outlets
- May 15 – May 18 laterPressure on Mexico after two ex-officials surrender to US over alleged cartel ties4 articles · 4 outlets
- Jul 20 later