Ryan Wedding manhunt escalates as FBI releases photos of $40m haul seized from fugitive Olympian drug kingpin
By Ben Nagle
Daily Mail
Dec 31, 2025
FBI director Kash Patel has labeled the ex-Olympian a 'modern-day iteration of Pablo Escobar'
The FBI has released never-before-seen photos of a $40 million seizure of motorbikes believed to be owned by fugitive Olympian drug kingpin Ryan Wedding.
There is a $15m reward for information leading to the arrest of the former snowboarder, 44, who represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, but is now among the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives.
He remains at large and is believed to be living in Mexico under the protection of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, but there was a significant development over Christmas when Mexican authorities launched a series of raids across four properties.
Among the items seized were 62 motorbikes, and photos have now been released in the hope that members of the public will be able to shed light on his whereabouts.
Alongside the images, a statement from the FBI read: 'This month, Mexican authorities executed multiple search warrants and seized a large number of motorcycles with an estimated value of approximately $40 million USD believed to be owned by FBI’s Top Ten Fugitive Ryan James Wedding.
'This successful seizure is a result of collaborative efforts among Mexican authorities, the FBI, @RCMP and @LAPDHQ.
62 motorbikes, believed to be worth $40 million, have been seized by the FBI in Mexico
'There is a reward up to $15 million USD for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction. If you have any information concerning Wedding, please contact the FBI via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram at (424) 495-0614.'
While not verified, speculation on social media claimed that some of the motorbikes have a famous history, potentially even being ridden by Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez in MotoGP.
Also in the recent haul, FBI agents found two vehicles, two Olympic medals, methamphetamine, marijuana, works of art, and ammunition.
It is not clear who the medals belong to, given Wedding finished 24th in the parallel giant slalom at his sole Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.
The US Treasury Department recently claimed Wedding has built a 'complex web' of assets to hide his wealth, using luxury cars, motorcycles, properties, cryptocurrency and front businesses.
The FBI previously released a new photo of Wedding, believed to have been taken in Mexico
Wedding represented Canada during the Winter Olympics in 2002 but he did not win a medal
In total, Wedding has been charged with eight felonies, including three counts of murder and one count of attempt to commit murder.
At a press conference last month Kash Patel, the FBI director, labeled him a 'modern-day iteration of Pablo Escobar' who he said was responsible for 'engineering a narco trafficking and narco terrorism program that we have not seen in a long time.'
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the drug kingpin 'controls one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world.'
The FBI also released a new photo of Wedding that is believed to have been taken in Mexico over the summer.
The authorities have also said there is ‘some evidence’ Wedding had undergone cosmetic surgery to alter his appearance and further evade detection.
Two Olympic medals were also found by the FBI, despite Wedding finishing 24th in his Games
Multiple pieces of artwork were also seized across four properties near Mexico City
Earlier this week, meanwhile, a court in Canada granted $5.25m bail to a lawyer accused of helping Wedding's alleged drug-trafficking operation.
Deepak Paradkar, 62, was arrested in November amid allegations that he advised Wedding to kill a key witness.
Paradkar is facing extradition to the United States, where he could be sentenced to life behind bars if found guilty of charges including conspiracy to commit murder.
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