FBI Arrests Former Olympic Snowboarder Accused of Running Crypto-Linked Cocaine Network

U.S. authorities have arrested Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder, on allegations that he led a violent, international cocaine trafficking operation that relied heavily on cryptocurrency to move and hide its profits.

Wedding, 44, was taken into custody in Mexico City on Friday and is now being transferred to the United States, according to a statement from FBI Director Kash Patel. He faces charges related to large-scale cocaine trafficking and murder. Wedding had been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since 2025, with investigators offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to his capture.

Prosecutors allege that Wedding played a central role in a sophisticated drug network responsible for moving hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, and into markets across the United States and Canada. Authorities say the operation worked closely with Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, one of the world’s most powerful criminal organizations.

Cryptocurrency at the center of the case

While the FBI’s announcement focused on the drug and violence-related charges, U.S. Treasury officials have previously pointed to cryptocurrency as a key pillar of the alleged operation. In November, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on Wedding and a web of associates and front companies, citing their use of digital assets to finance trafficking and launder drug proceeds.

According to Treasury findings and court filings, the network allegedly moved funds across several major blockchains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tron, Solana, and BNB Chain. Investigators have also referenced the use of stablecoins, highlighting one documented transfer of about 17,300 USDT linked to a cocaine transaction. Officials have not publicly detailed the full volume of crypto activity tied to the group.

As part of the sanctions, Treasury added more than a dozen cryptocurrency addresses connected to Wedding and his associates, describing the setup as a multi-chain laundering operation consistent with a large-scale trafficking enterprise.

Violence allegations and pending charges

Beyond drug trafficking, Wedding is accused of ordering the murder of a cooperating federal witness in Colombia in January 2025. Authorities also allege he directed retaliatory shootings in Canada following the theft of drug shipments. A superseding indictment unsealed in June 2024 charged him with operating a continuing criminal enterprise, major narcotics offenses, and murder in connection with those activities.

A case with broader implications

The arrest underscores how law enforcement agencies are increasingly targeting the intersection of organized crime and digital finance. U.S. officials have repeatedly warned that while cryptocurrencies are widely used for legitimate purposes, they are also being exploited by criminal networks seeking to move money quickly and discreetly across borders.

Ryan Wedding, Olympic snowboarder-turned-alleged drug kingpin, charged in death of federal witness

The State Department is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information that leads to the arrest and/or conviction of Ryan James Wedding.

NBC NewsMinyvonne Burke

As Wedding prepares to face U.S. prosecutors, the case is likely to draw continued attention not only for the defendant’s unusual background as a former Olympian, but also for what it reveals about the evolving tools of modern drug trafficking. For authorities, the arrest marks a significant step in dismantling a network they say blended traditional narcotics smuggling with cutting-edge financial technology.