FBI Identifies Ryan Wedding in Mexico; Bounty Now $15 Million

URGENT UPDATE: The FBI has confirmed a sighting of Ryan Wedding, a notorious fugitive and alleged drug kingpin, in Mexico City on January 22, 2024. This shocking development comes as U.S. federal authorities have ramped up their efforts, announcing a staggering $15 million bounty for information leading to his capture.

Sources confirm that FBI agents were conducting surveillance near a Starbucks when they spotted a large man matching Wedding’s description. After verifying with a driver’s license photo from 2013, agents were convinced they had found the fugitive. The confirmation was solidified when he was overheard using his first name, “Ryan.” This sighting marks the first public confirmation of Wedding’s whereabouts since he fled criminal charges in 2015.

Why wasn’t Wedding arrested on the spot? The complexities of jurisdiction played a significant role. According to retired FBI agent Kenneth Gray, any arrest in Mexico requires cooperation from local authorities. “Even if the FBI had location information, there is no guarantee that Mexican authorities would act quickly,” Gray highlighted.

Wedding, 44, has been linked to a violent cocaine-smuggling operation that spans both South and North America. His criminal enterprise, now believed to generate $1 billion USD annually, has been associated with numerous murders. The FBI, working with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other agencies, has been building a case against him as part of Operation Giant Slalom.

The investigation intensified following a meeting at the Starbucks, where Wedding discussed business with two associates, including Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia, a Montreal-born trafficker who had recently turned informant. Tragically, Acebedo-Garcia was murdered in Medellin, Colombia on January 31, 2025, just one year after the Starbucks meeting, leading investigators to suspect Wedding orchestrated his assassination.

In October 2024, Andrew Clark, identified as Wedding’s second-in-command, was arrested in Mexico following an operation involving the Mexican navy. Clark has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to distribute cocaine and murder.

The FBI has identified over 30 associates of what prosecutors are calling the Wedding Criminal Enterprise, with arrests spanning Colombia, California, and several Canadian provinces. Despite these efforts, Wedding remains at large, now on the FBI’s list of 10 most-wanted fugitives.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has issued a stern warning to Wedding: “Our agents will relentlessly pursue you and anyone who assists you and bring you to justice. Your days are numbered.”

As authorities continue their search, the stakes are higher than ever. The FBI is focusing efforts on central Mexico, where Wedding was last seen.

Stay tuned for ongoing updates as this story develops.