Alleged Drug Kingpin, Former Olympian, Used Cryptocurrency too Launder Millions, U.S. Authorities Say
U.S.authorities allege that Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder accused โof leading an international drug-trafficking organization, utilized cryptocurrency to launder millions of dollars generated fromโ his criminal enterprise. The U.S.โ Department of the Treasury recently sanctioned ten individuals connected to the allegedโ ring, revealing details of the operation’s financial โคmechanisms. Aโฃ reward for information leading to Wedding’s arrest has been increased to $15 million, as โauthorities believe the 44-year-old is โcurrently in Mexico under โฃthe protection โคof the Sinaloa Cartel.
The case highlights โthe growing trend of transnational criminal organizations โฃleveraging digital assets to obscure illicit โขfundsโ and evade detection. Wedding’s alleged network is linked to multiple murders, including four in Ontario, committed to further โhis drug trafficking activities. โคThe use โof cryptocurrency adds a layer of complexity to theโ investigation, requiring specialized expertise to trace โขthe flow ofโ money and dismantle the financial infrastructure supporting the operation.
According to U.S.โ authorities, Wedding was first identified as the allegedโฃ ringleader in 2024. Prosecutorsโ claim he retains access to a “networkโค of hitmen” and intends to continue ordering murders to prevent his capture. Theโ investigation, which spans multiple countries, underscores the challenges โlaw enforcement faces in combating refined criminal networks that exploit emerging โtechnologies like โฃcryptocurrency.
The U.S. Department of โtheโ Treasury’s sanctions aim to disrupt the financial networks enabling Wedding’s alleged drug trafficking and violence. Authoritiesโข are actively โคpursuing leads in Mexico, working with international partners to apprehend Wedding and โdismantle his organization.โ The increased reward reflects the seriousness โwith which U.S. law enforcement views theโ threat posed by Wedding โคand his alleged criminal enterprise.
