Former Olympian Ryan Wedding pleads not guilty to drug kingpin charges

Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has pleaded not guilty to all 17 felony charges against him including drug trafficking, witness tampering and conspiracy to commit murder.

In his first court appearance since being arrested in Mexico last week, Wedding appeared relaxed, smiling with his attorney and occasionally at the media and FBI agents as he stretched his unshackled arms.

Wedding was on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list for allegedly running a transnational drug cartel, importing millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine into Los Angeles and distributing it to Canada and across the US.

He is also accused of orchestrating the murder of a man who planned to testify against him.

US officials have alleged the 44-year-old was living in Mexico under the Sinaloa drug cartel’s protection.

Wedding, who wore a tan prison jumper over an orange shirt and socks, told Judge John Early on Monday that he had read the two indictments against him and understood his rights. His attorney did not request bail, but said they may do so at another date.

A Canadian national who competed in snowboarding at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Wedding still looks like an athlete – an imposing figure at 1.91m (6ft 3in) and 109 kg (240 pounds). Some journalists expressed surprise that his wrists were not shackled.

US officials have not provided details of Wedding’s arrest in Mexico, but his lawyer Anthony Colombo disputed reports from Mexican officials that Wedding had turned himself in.

“That is a false narrative,” Colombo told the BBC outside the courthouse.

He appeared in court in Santa Ana in Orange County, instead of Los Angeles, as his appearance was moved due to ongoing protests outside the LA federal building against federal immigration operations.

Wedding is next due in court in Los Angeles on 9 February.

Previously described as a “modern-day iteration of Pablo Escobar” by FBI director Kash Patel, the agency says Wedding’s aliases include “El Jefe,” “Giant,” “Public Enemy,” “James Conrad King,” and “Jesse King”.

Officials allege that he launched his criminal enterprise following his release from a US federal prison in 2011, where he was serving a sentence for cocaine distribution.

He is alleged to have ordered dozens of murders across the globe, including in the US, Canada and Latin America.

Officials say he had been living in luxury in Mexico as the search for him by both US and Canadian police ramped up.

Late last year, the FBI released photos of Wedding’s motorcycle collection they seized in Mexico, which they say is worth about $40m (£29m).

In November, RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme said seven Canadians allegedly linked to the cartel had been arrested and would be extradited to the US.