WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a stunning escalation of an already high-profile case, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has officially designated Ryan James Wedding as Public Enemy No. 1, placing him at the center of one of the most intense international manhunts of the 21st century.
Known by the aliases “Giant,” “El Jefe,” and “Public Enemy,” Wedding is accused of operating a transnational criminal enterprise with alleged ties to drug trafficking, financial fraud, and money laundering.
The rare and historic designation revives a term made famous during the Prohibition era and highlights how serious and dangerous authorities believe Wedding’s alleged criminal operations have become. The FBI’s label signals that Wedding is now considered one of the most dangerous fugitives in the Western Hemisphere.
From Olympic Hopeful to Most Wanted
Ryan Wedding’s story defies belief. Once hailed as a talented Canadian Olympic snowboarder, he competed in the early 2000s and was featured in several national campaigns promoting sports and youth empowerment.
But what began as a celebrated athletic career eventually devolved into a life steeped in shadows, criminal conspiracies, and international flight.
According to law enforcement sources, Wedding’s connections to organized crime began shortly after he retired from professional snowboarding. Former associates claim he developed relationships with known cartel intermediaries through business ventures in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest.
By 2010, Wedding had moved beyond the role of an associate and was allegedly coordinating large-scale narcotics shipments across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Operation Black Ice: A Botched Takedown
In 2022, a multi-agency operation codenamed “Black Ice” aimed to capture Wedding at a luxury hideout in Tulum, Mexico. The operation involved coordinated efforts from the DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, RCMP, and Mexican law enforcement.
Wedding was tipped off—likely through cartel informants embedded within local police—and escaped mere minutes before agents arrived. Authorities found sophisticated counter-surveillance equipment, encrypted communication tools, and fake passports in the villa.
According to intelligence officials, this was not Wedding’s first escape. He had evaded capture at least three times in different jurisdictions, including Belize and Panama, where similar raids uncovered operational documents and ledgers allegedly linked to cartel transactions.
Criminal Charges: A Global Rap Sheet
The breadth of the criminal charges against Wedding is staggering. U.S. prosecutors unsealed indictments in 2024 that include:
- Conspiracy to distribute and traffic in controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamines, and cocaine.
- Violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for operating a criminal enterprise.
- International money laundering and wire fraud.
- Bank fraud and financial structuring through offshore accounts.
- Use of forged travel documents and false identities.
Court documents reveal that Wedding’s criminal empire allegedly relied on a global web of front companies, cryptocurrency accounts, and manipulated bank instruments. Authorities believe he was laundering between $50 million and $150 million annually, using his business ventures as cover.
Transnational Crime and INTERPOL Coordination
In March 2025, INTERPOL issued a Red Notice for Wedding, effectively notifying its 194 member countries that he is wanted for arrest and extradition. Canadian and U.S. authorities are working closely with Mexico, Panama, Belize, and Caribbean nations, where Wedding allegedly obtained fraudulent or illegitimate passports.
According to Mexican federal sources, Wedding’s cartel ties extend to Los Zetas and remnants of the Beltrán-Leyva Organization. Both have previously offered protection to high-value fugitives in exchange for logistics and laundering expertise.
Senior INTERPOL agents emphasized that Wedding has elevated himself to the status of a “criminal broker,” helping other fugitives acquire new identities, launder illicit wealth, and evade biometric border systems.
Digital Disguises and Identity Spoofing
Investigators also believe Wedding uses biometric countermeasure technology to avoid detection at airports and borders. These tools, known in intelligence circles as “facial obfuscation masks” and digital cloaking techniques, allow fugitives to defeat facial recognition cameras in over 70 countries.
Digital forensic experts from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security indicated that Wedding may exploit emerging biometric spoofing tools, such as AI-generated facial overlays and synthetic iris scans. These technologies are typically available only to state actors or deep underground criminal syndicates.
A wedding is also believed to have multiple legitimate passports obtained via fraudulent applications through Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) programs. Intelligence analysts suspect he may have acquired such documents through small Caribbean states with weak due diligence procedures in prior years, including before recent CBI crackdowns.
Case Study: The Panama Asset Network
In late 2023, Panamanian financial regulators uncovered a network of over 22 shell companies registered to a single holding firm—allegedly a front for Wedding’s laundering operations. These firms were used to purchase real estate, private aircraft, and yachts throughout the region.
One such entity, Hacienda Investments SA, was linked to a $3.2 million villa in Costa Rica and a 40-foot yacht docked in Bocas del Toro. Local employees claimed the property had no known residents and received deliveries via unmarked couriers.
Panamanian officials have since frozen $9 million in accounts suspected to be connected to these companies. A forensic audit is ongoing, and U.S. authorities have issued mutual legal assistance requests (MLATs) to gather additional evidence for potential prosecution.
Shadow Networks: Cartels and Cryptocurrency
Wedding’s operations reportedly extend into the world of unregulated cryptocurrency. Federal agencies allege that he utilized privacy coins such as Monero and Zcash to obscure the source and destination of funds.
A forensic blockchain tracing report indicated that one wallet linked to Wedding funnelled over $16 million through decentralized exchanges with zero Know Your Customer (KYC) obligations.
One former associate-turned-informant testified to U.S. authorities that Wedding paid coders to build his private crypto mixer, a tool designed to anonymize large amounts of digital currency. These efforts allowed him to maintain mobility while hiding his financial footprint.
Wedding is also believed to have operated a darknet marketplace for secure identity documents, encrypted SIM cards, and counterfeit CBI certificates—further blurring the lines between traditional organized crime and digital criminal entrepreneurship.
Amicus International Consulting: A Legal Perspective
As law enforcement races to catch up with the evolving tactics of international fugitives, organizations like Amicus International Consulting are increasingly consulted for legal alternatives to identity management, cross-border compliance, and second citizenship solutions.
Amicus does not assist fugitives or individuals under investigation. Instead, it offers legal second citizenship and identity transformation services for clients seeking protection from politically motivated persecution, whistleblower retaliation, or privacy violations.
“Our clients are often individuals at risk, not criminals on the run,” said a spokesperson for Amicus. “We provide legal, documented solutions for individuals navigating international bureaucracy, privacy erosion, or threats to their safety. What Ryan Wedding allegedly represents is the misuse of what should be legal avenues.”
Amicus also highlights the importance of diligence in all CBI applications, working only with vetted jurisdictions and legal frameworks.
The Symbolism of “Public Enemy No. 1”
The last time the U.S. government invoked this label was in connection with high-profile organized crime figures such as Al Capone or John Dillinger. Being named Public Enemy No. 1 is both symbolic and tactical. It represents an explicit priority by federal law enforcement to apprehend, extradite, and prosecute the individual regardless of jurisdiction.
“This is more than just a name,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Graham, who oversees organized crime for the Department of Justice. “It’s a message to every ally, law enforcement body, and intelligence agency: This is a high-value target, and we will not rest until he is brought to justice.”
Sources close to the investigation suggest that the FBI is now dedicating a whole task force, modelled on the old “Untouchables” era teams, specifically to track Wedding’s movements, disrupt his network, and dismantle his assets.
The Road Ahead
As of May 2025, the investigation into Ryan Wedding spans three continents, includes over a dozen cooperating nations, and touches nearly every facet of the global criminal economy: narcotics, fraud, money laundering, and identity manipulation.
Despite several close calls, the wedding remains large. Intelligence leaks suggest he may be operating under another false identity in Southeast Asia or North Africa, potentially travelling through non-extradition treaty states such as the UAE, Morocco, or Laos.
U.S. and international authorities continue to gather evidence, intercept communications, and pressure known associates. But with each passing month, Wedding grows more skilled at evasion—transforming from an Olympic hopeful into a ghost living behind layers of fake names, encrypted trails, and purchased allegiances.
Conclusion
The FBI’s decision to name Ryan Wedding Public Enemy No. 1 is more than symbolic—it is a declaration of intent. It signals the urgency, complexity, and scale of a search that spans multiple nations, jurisdictions, and spheres of criminal enterprise. While law enforcement closes in, Wedding remains a chilling example of how modern fugitives weaponize digital anonymity, legal loopholes, and financial secrecy.
For now, he remains a phantom in the global underworld—a high-value fugitive, a criminal entrepreneur, and the latest face on a most wanted list reserved for the world’s most dangerous men.
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