• Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder, has been arrested after being on the FBI's Most Wanted list.
• He is accused of running a massive drug trafficking operation and orchestrating multiple murders.
• The FBI offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.
• Wedding was reportedly living in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel.
• His charges include drug trafficking, witness tampering, and murder.

Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, was arrested on Friday after being one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted fugitives for years. He faces serious charges related to running a transnational drug trafficking operation and orchestrating multiple murders to maintain control over the drug trade, according to BBC, ABC News, and CBS News.

The FBI claims Wedding was responsible for importing "multi-ton quantities of cocaine" primarily from Colombia into the U.S. and Canada, generating up to $1 billion annually in illegal revenue, as reported by South China Morning Post and India Times. Authorities had previously placed a $15 million bounty for information leading to his capture, believing he was hiding under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico.

Wedding's criminal enterprise reportedly involved the orchestrated killings of individuals connected to his operations, including a federal witness who was set to testify against him, according to ABC News and BBC. This stunning transformation from a celebrated athlete to a major criminal figure has shocked many, emphasizing the perilous effects of international drug trafficking.

Prior to his criminal activities, Wedding had represented Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, finishing 24th in the men’s parallel giant slalom snowboarding event. His Olympic career now serves as a stark contrast to the serious allegations he faces, as outlined by India Times and South China Morning Post. The ramifications of his arrest are still unfolding, with expectations that he will face federal charges that could lead to life imprisonment.