Two new photos of Canadian fugitive Ryan Wedding have been shared: one from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico showing him with a shaved head, and another that the FBI says was taken in Mexico last summer. (U.S. Embassy in Mexico)
U.S. authorities released two new photos of Canadian fugitive Ryan Wedding as the FBI pushes harder to find him. Wedding, 44, faces major drug-related charges and remains one of the FBI’s 10 most-wanted fugitives. The agency shared the images Monday evening in hopes of gathering new tips.
One photo shows Wedding shirtless in bed with a large lion tattoo across his chest. Officials believe the picture was taken in Mexico during the summer. The second image, released by the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, shows him in a green T-shirt with a shaved head. Authorities did not share when or where that image was taken.
High Reward for Information
Wedding once competed for Canada as a snowboarder at the 2002 Winter Olympics. He now faces accusations of running a massive drug network that moves huge amounts of cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine from Mexico and South America into major cities in the United States and Canada.
The U.S. government recently raised the reward for information leading to his arrest to $15 million, up from $10 million. FBI director Kash Patel called Wedding “the modern-day iteration” of drug lords Pablo Escobar and Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Officials say Wedding has strong ties to the Sinaloa cartel and likely hides in Mexico under its protection.
Drastic Changes in Appearance
The two new photos show Wedding with very different looks. In the older image, he appears bald with a shaved head. The newer bed photo shows him with a full head of hair. The FBI believes he often changes his appearance to avoid detection and may even have had plastic surgery.
Officials revealed that earlier photos released in 2024 were taken without Wedding’s knowledge. One was later tracked to the Santa Fe district of Mexico City.
Wedding stands six-foot-three and weighs between 230 and 250 pounds. He uses several aliases, including James Conrad King, Jesse King, Public Enemy, Giant, Grande, Mexi and “El Jefe.”
Investigators Seek Public Help
Akil Davis, head of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, said Wedding “might change his hair colour, his appearance, and do anything to avoid capture.” Because of his size, Davis believes he will still stand out. “Someone like Ryan Wedding is going to stick out in Mexico,” he said.
In a video message, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico urged people to send information. “If you have seen him or have any information about him, your call is crucial,” the message said.
A Long List of Violent Allegations
Wedding has remained on the run since 2015. Authorities link him to dozens of murders worldwide. They allege he ordered the killings of an innocent Indian couple in Caledon, Ontario, in 2023, after his group mistakenly blamed them for a stolen cocaine shipment.
Last month, U.S. officials charged Wedding and several associates in the killing of former drug trafficker and FBI witness Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia in Medellín, Colombia. Documents say Wedding called Acebedo-Garcia a “rat” and placed a $5-million bounty on him. A Toronto lawyer and a crime blogger are also accused of helping plan the murder.
Investigators recently seized a rare $13-million Mercedes-Benz in Miami linked to the case. The car, one of only six ever built, was reportedly bought by a Toronto jeweller accused of laundering money for Wedding.
Authorities continue to treat the case as one of the largest active international manhunts.
