Ex‑Olympian Ryan Wedding Pleads Not Guilty to Alleged Billion‑Dollar Cocaine Ring and Murder Charges in California Court
Ex‑Olympian Ryan Wedding pleaded not guilty in U.S. federal court in Santa Ana to an indictment accusing him of running a billion‑dollar cocaine‑trafficking operation that allegedly moved as much as 60 tons of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico into the U.S. and Canada and of ordering multiple killings in 2023–2025 — allegations FBI Director Kash Patel has compared to a "modern‑day El Chapo" and "Pablo Escobar." Video aired by CBS shows FBI agents escorting Wedding off a plane after his arrest in Mexico and transfer to U.S. custody; Magistrate Judge John D. Early ordered him detained pending trial, set a Feb. 11 hearing and a March 24, 2026 trial date, and Wedding’s attorney disputes Mexican officials’ claim that he surrendered, saying he was arrested while living in Mexico.
📌 Key Facts
- CBS News aired video showing FBI agents escorting ex‑Olympian Ryan Wedding off a plane in California, confirming his physical transfer into FBI custody on U.S. soil after his arrest in Mexico.
- Wedding appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Early in Santa Ana, pleaded not‑guilty to all counts; the judge ordered him detained pending trial, set the next hearing for Feb. 11, 2026, and scheduled the trial to begin March 24, 2026.
- A federal indictment alleges Wedding’s organization moved up to 60 tons of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico into the U.S. and Canada; FBI Director Kash Patel described him as a 'modern‑day El Chapo' and 'modern‑day Pablo Escobar.'
- He faces U.S. murder charges tied to alleged retaliatory 2023 killings of two Canadian family members over a stolen shipment, a 2024 killing over a drug debt, and a January 2025 restaurant shooting in Colombia of a witness he allegedly put a bounty on.
- Wedding’s attorney disputes Mexican officials' claim that he surrendered, saying he was arrested while living in Mexico rather than having turned himself in.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
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- Wedding appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Early in Santa Ana, California, and entered a not‑guilty plea on all counts.
- The indictment alleges his organization moved up to 60 tons of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico into the U.S. and Canada, described by FBI Director Kash Patel as making him a 'modern‑day El Chapo' and 'modern‑day Pablo Escobar.'
- He faces specific U.S. murder charges tied to alleged 2023 retaliatory killings of two Canadian family members over a stolen shipment, a 2024 killing over a drug debt, and a January 2025 restaurant shooting in Colombia of a witness he allegedly put a bounty on.
- The judge ordered Wedding detained pending trial, set his next court date for Feb. 11 and scheduled trial for March 24, 2026.
- Wedding’s attorney disputes Mexican officials’ claim that he surrendered, insisting he was arrested while living in Mexico rather than hiding.
- CBS News obtained and aired video of FBI agents escorting Ryan Wedding off a plane in California in visible custody.
- The footage confirms Wedding’s physical transfer to FBI custody on U.S. soil following his arrest in Mexico and transport back to the United States.