U.S. authorities have released two new photos of Ryan Wedding fugitive as the FBI intensifies its manhunt. Moreover, the images reveal dramatically different looks—strong evidence he is altering his appearance to stay hidden.
One photo comes from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. It shows Wedding with a shaved head and a green T-shirt. Officials have not said when or where someone took it.
Meanwhile, the FBI shared a second image. This one shows the 44-year-old shirtless in bed, displaying a large lion tattoo on his chest. Investigators believe someone close to him snapped this photo in Mexico last summer.
In fact, this may be the first picture not captured from a distance. Earlier, the FBI released covert shots—like one showing him in a blue ball cap in Mexico City’s Santa Fe district.
Wedding once represented Canada in snowboarding at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Today, however, he faces accusations of running a brutal international drug network. According to the FBI, he ships cocaine, fentanyl, meth, and heroin from Mexico and South America into Los Angeles. From there, his associates distribute the drugs across the U.S. and Canada.
Earlier this year, the FBI added him to its Top 10 Most Wanted list. Then, last month, it boosted the reward for his arrest to $15 million—up from $10 million. FBI Director Kash Patel even compared him to Pablo Escobar.
Investigators say the Sinaloa cartel now protects Wedding in Mexico. Because of this alliance, he has evaded capture since 2015.
Furthermore, the Ryan Wedding fugitive case stands out for its extreme violence. He allegedly ordered dozens of killings worldwide. For example, in 2023, gunmen shot dead an innocent Indian couple in Caledon, Ontario. They mistakenly believed the couple stole a cocaine shipment.
More recently, U.S. prosecutors charged him with orchestrating the murder of Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia. The Montreal-born trafficker had become an FBI informant. Court documents state that Wedding branded him a “rat” and offered $5 million for his killing. A Toronto lawyer and a crime blogger also face charges for helping plan the assassination.
Physically, Wedding is hard to miss. He stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs between 230 and 250 pounds. Still, the FBI warns he may dye his hair, wear disguises, or undergo plastic surgery.
He also uses many aliases. These include James Conrad King, Jesse King, and street names like “Giant,” “Public Enemy,” “Mexi,” and “El Jefe.”
“Someone like Ryan Wedding will stand out in Mexico,” said Akil Davis of the FBI’s Los Angeles office. “Therefore, we urgently need the public’s help to locate him.”
On Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico posted a Spanish-language video. It directly asked citizens to report any sightings. “Your tip could save lives,” the message stressed.
Additionally, investigators recently seized a rare $13 million Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Roadster in Miami. They say a Toronto jeweller—accused of laundering Wedding’s drug profits—purchased the vehicle.
For now, the Ryan Wedding fugitive remains on the run. Yet with fresh photos, a record reward, and growing global pressure, authorities believe time is running out. After all, even the most elusive fugitives eventually leave a trace.
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