Ryan Wedding, the former Olympic snowboarder from Canada, remains on the run as U.S. authorities intensify their manhunt for him, warning he still possesses a dangerous network of hitmen available for employment. Wedding, 43, represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics and has since become embroiled in allegations of managing a $1 billion US transnational criminal enterprise.
According to U.S. prosecutors, Wedding is facing serious charges, including murder and drug trafficking, related to alleged orchestrations behind four killings across southern Ontario, including the infamous mistaken-identity shootings of the Sidhu family last November. Andrew Clark, Wedding's leading accomplice, was apprehended recently, leaving Wedding free but under constant scrutiny.
Maria Jhai, assistant U.S. attorney based in Los Angeles, detailed the sophisticated nature of this case, citing the callousness demonstrated by Wedding and his associates. "This is a complex case involving a sophisticated drug-trafficking organization, whose leaders have shown a callous disregard for human life," she highlighted, stressing concerns over the safety of confidential informants associated with the case.
The chilling aspect of this investigation is the possibility of Wedding retaining direct access to encrypted communication tools and, disturbing still, hired assassins who may be poised to eliminate perceived threats. According to court documents shared via CBC News, the U.S. indictment unveiled Oct. revealed the extensive network operated through the encrypted messaging app Threema, between Mexico and North America.
Law enforcement revealed this operation results from orchestrated drug trafficking, reportedly using stash houses located throughout Los Angeles to move 54 tonnes of cocaine annually across North America, some of which allegedly ends up near Toronto.
While one key member, Clark, remains detained following his arrest last fall, authorities believe Wedding is still hiding somewhere within Mexico or potentially other parts of Latin America. To aid the capture effort, the FBI has issued a reward of up to $50,000 US for information leading to his arrest and extradition back to the U.S.
Adding to the gravity of the case is the cooperation of key witnesses. An unnamed individual, who had engaged with Wedding and Clark during recent operations, has turned state’s evidence, having originally trafficked drugs with Wedding for over ten years. The willingness of such witnesses to step forward underlines the fear and dangerous conditions surrounding this criminal case.
Further supporting this investigation was another source who managed to infiltrate Wedding's tight-knit drug trafficking network, shedding light on operations through precursory findings presented to U.S. prosecutors.
Meanwhile, Hardeep Ratte, identified as the Canadian transportation chief of Wedding's drug empire, is currently undergoing extradition proceedings. He recently appeared for the second day of his bail hearing at the Ontario court, where U.S. officials are pushing to obtain his return along with three other Canadians arrested for their roles.
The severity of these allegations is underlined by the details of the gruesome November shootings involving the Sidhu family, mistakenly targeted after reports of stolen cocaine shipments. The shooting left the couple, Jagtar and Harbhajan Sidhu, dead, and their daughter, Jaspreet, critically injured but alive, albeit severely affected by the attack.
Police investigations have revealed the alleged involvement of Malik Damion Cunningham, known by the alias "Mr. Perfect," who has been linked to multiple targeted hits ordered by Clark, including the tragic case of the Sidhu family. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police reports more than ten Canadians are either arrested or being pursued as part of the fallout from Wedding's organization.
On the day of the Sidhu family shootings, Cunningham was actually held for unrelated charges, leading investigators to continue their search for the exact shooter operating under Wedding's orders. Despite various layers of law enforcement scrutiny, the California and Ontario connections maintain the potential danger posed by Wedding's vast retaliation strategies.
The haunting storyline surrounding Ryan Wedding is reflective not only of his Olympic past but also the grim reality of organized crime infiltrated heavily within middle North American society.