1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,240 Speaker 1: Maybe you remember this. About a month ago, I did 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: a backstory episode about a former Olympic snowboarder from Canada 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: who became an international drug lord, an associate of the 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: Sinaloa Cartel, the most powerful and most vicious cartel in Mexico. 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: He can check out that episode, which posted on December fifth. 6 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: But ironically, after ten years in hiding, Ryan Wedding turned 7 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: himself into the FBI in Mexico City last Thursday night. 8 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: I'm Patty Steele. Why did Wedding hand himself over and 9 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: what kind of a deal did he cut? That update 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: is next on the Backstory. We're back with the backstory. 11 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: As you may remember from the December fifth episode of 12 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: the Backstory, Ryan James Wedding was born in thunder Bay, Ontario, 13 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty one. His family was obsessed with snow teaching, skiing, 14 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: skiing competitively, even owning a ski resort. Ryan had a 15 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: solid future in what was then the new Olympics sport 16 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: competitive snowboarding. He makes the Canadian national team at the 17 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: age of fifteen, and then he makes the start list 18 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: for the two thousand and two Winter Olympics in Salt 19 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 1: Lake City, where he's entered into the men's parallel Giant slalom, 20 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: but he doesn't metal. He finishes twenty fourth. He wanted more, 21 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 1: and rather than push himself up the mountain to compete 22 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: on a higher level, he drops out of the sport. 23 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 1: While going to college, he gets a job as a 24 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 1: bouncer and starts hanging with petty criminals and drug dealers. 25 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 1: Ah He's found a new career in dealing weed. It's 26 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: both a moneymaker and a challenge that offers the same 27 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: dangerous thrill as racing down a mountain at eighty five 28 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: miles an hour. But at the age of twenty seven, 29 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: he starts dealing cocaine as well. Unfortunately for him, he 30 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: makes a deal with a supplier who turns out to 31 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: be an undercover federal agent. He's found guilty of conspiracy 32 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: to distribute cocaine, and he apologizes to the court for 33 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 1: what he called stupid and irresponsible decisions. He said, I 34 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: knew what was wrong, and I did it anyway. In 35 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: the past twenty four months I've spent in custody, I've 36 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: had an opportunity to see firsthand what drugs do to people, 37 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: and honestly, I'm ashamed that I became a part of 38 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: the problem for years. I guess I lost my way. 39 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: So after that stint in jail, he got out in 40 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: December of twenty eleven. The remorse didn't last very long, 41 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: because he immediately started up another criminal drug trafficking business 42 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: and began working with members of Mexican drug cartels to 43 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: move huge amounts of illegal drugs. The FBI estimates his 44 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: drug ring eventually brought in sixty tons of cocaine a year, 45 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: using semi tractor trailers to move the drugs between Columbia, Mexico, 46 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: Southern California, and Canada. And he was considered an expert 47 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: in cryptocurrency, which made money handling more efficient and impossible 48 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: to trace, and that was one of his many strengths. 49 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: During his years in Mexico, Ryan lived the life. He's 50 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: apparently still married to his estranged wife. Their difference of 51 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: opinion on that Mirian Andrea Castillo Moreno, a gorgeous thirty 52 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: four year old Iranian Canadian who describes herself as an entrepreneur. 53 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: They married in twenty eleven, and authority say she was 54 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: the financial backbone of weddings drug operations. They believe she 55 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: helped her husband move large amounts of money through his network, 56 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: and she coordinated behind the scenes. She was his money 57 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: launderer and helped arrange his relationships, and the FBI says 58 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: she quote helped him conduct acts of violence. In addition, 59 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 1: he has a twenty three year old Colombian girlfriend, Daniela 60 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: Alejandra Acuna Masayus. She also managed large sums of money 61 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: for Ryan, knowing it was from illegal activities, and she 62 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: helped him get info about rivals. Last November, the FBI 63 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: sees Ryan's rare two thousand and two Mercedes clkgtr valued 64 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 1: at thirteen million dollars for one car. In December, Mexican 65 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:19,799 Speaker 1: authorities seized forty million dollars in racing motorcycles owned by Ryan, 66 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:24,679 Speaker 1: along with luxury paintings, other artwork, drugs, and, funny enough, 67 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 1: two Olympic gold medals, which of course he'd never won. Hmm, 68 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: that says something about his motivation. No. Investigators worked for 69 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: over a year to arrest Wedding. Last year, they put 70 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 1: a fifteen million dollar bounty on his head. The FBI 71 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: said Ryan Wedding tormented several people and several families that 72 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: will never be the same, But today they get the 73 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: justice that they sought. FBI direct Eric Kashptel said on Friday, 74 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: just to tell you how bad of a guy Ryan 75 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: Wedding is. He went from an Olympic snowboarder to the 76 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: largest narco trafficker in modern times. He is a modern 77 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: day El Chapo, a modern day Pablo Escobar, and he 78 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:11,360 Speaker 1: thought he could evade justice. In November, Wedding was accused 79 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: of placing a multimillion dollar bounty on a federal witness 80 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: who was involved in a narcotics case against him. He 81 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: had another person killed over a drug debt, and according 82 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: to the FBI, he also ordered the killings of two 83 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 1: members of a Canadian family in a twenty twenty three 84 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: retaliation for a stolen drug shipment, but in a case 85 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: of mistaken identity, that people who were murdered were simply 86 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: an elderly couple from India who were visiting their son 87 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: in Ontario. On top of that, US authorities say multiple 88 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: former associates of Wedding have turned up dead and that 89 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: they believe he's linked to dozens of murders. Wedding is 90 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: now facing a slew of felony charges, including witness tampering 91 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: and intimidation of course, murder, money laundering, and drug trafficking. Yesterday, 92 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: his arraignment was moved from Los Angeles Federal Court to 93 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: Orange County Federal Court. Ryan was led into court and handcuffs, 94 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: wearing a tan jumpsuit. He was all smiles while talking 95 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: to his lawyer. In kind of a chilling moment, he 96 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 1: looked at the row of onlookers in the gallery and 97 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: stared at each one eye to eye. In court, he 98 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: entered two not guilty pleas. His next court appearance was 99 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: set for March twenty fourth. Right after the arraignment, his 100 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 1: defense attorney, Anthony Colombo, spoke to the press saying that 101 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: Ryan is in good spirits despite reports. He said Ryan 102 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: was apprehended by the FBI and did not surrender, and 103 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: he said there were no negotiations for a deal. But 104 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: could that be a cover up for fear that the 105 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 1: cartel would find a way to get to wedding to 106 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: stop him from talking. It's known there is terrific infighting 107 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: within the cartel itself, and Ryan might have chosen the 108 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: wrong side. With no inside protection, he'd need to find 109 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: a way to survive and talking to the Feds about 110 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 1: what he knows may be his only lifeline. It's likely 111 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: there were talks with the FBI since a well known 112 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: Mexican security expert told reporters that negotiations for Ryan's surrender 113 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: had been ramping up last week, which is why FBI 114 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: Director Kash Ptel found himself in Mexico City during the arrest. 115 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: Ryan's lawyer also said after the arraignment, the indictments are 116 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: not evidence, They're just an accusation, and then he referenced 117 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:31,119 Speaker 1: Ryan's past as an Olympic athlete, saying he is mentally tough, 118 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: which is something an Olympic athlete would need. Ryan Wedding 119 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: could face life in prison unless his attorney, mister Colombo 120 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: has some tricks up his sleeve. It's going to be 121 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: a fascinating trial to watch. I really want to thank 122 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: Andy King for his help and encouragement with his update. 123 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: Thanks Andy. Hope you're enjoying the backstory with Patty Steele. 124 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: Please leave a review and follow or subscribe for free 125 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: to get new episodes delivered automatically, and once again, feel 126 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: free to dm me if you have a story you'd 127 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: like me to cover. On Facebook, It's Patty Steele and 128 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: on Instagram Real Patty Steele. I'm Patty Steele. The Backstories 129 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartMedia, Premiere Networks, the Elvis Durant Group, 130 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: and Steel Trap Productions. Our producer is Doug Fraser. Our 131 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: writer Jake Kushner. We have new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. 132 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: Feel free to reach out to me with comments and 133 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: even story suggestions on Instagram at Real Patty Steele and 134 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: on Facebook at Patty Steele. Thanks for listening to the 135 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: Backstory with Patty Steele, the pieces of history you didn't 136 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 1: know you needed to know.