Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding has been accused of running a drug trafficking ring in North America, authorities said Thursday.

Wedding, a 43-year-old Canadian citizen who lived in Mexico, is charged in the United States with running a criminal enterprise, murder, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and other crimes, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. A federal arrest warrant was issued against him in mid-September.

He is considered a fugitive and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and extradition.

The drug trafficking ring is said to have used long-haul semi-trucks to ship large quantities of cocaine from Colombia via Mexico and California to Canada and other locations in the United States.

Wedding is one of 16 people charged in connection with a ring that transported 60 tons of cocaine annually, said Martin Estrada, U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, adding that four of them remain on the run .

“He chose to become a major drug trafficker and he chose to become a murderer,” Estrada told reporters.

U.S. authorities allege the ring killed two members of a family in Canada in November 2023 in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment in what Canadian authorities say was a case of mistaken identity.

“They were killed in cold blood in front of their daughter, who was also shot 13 times,” Estrada said.

According to US authorities, the ring is also accused of killing at least one other person.

Krysti Hawkins, FBI special agent in charge in Los Angeles, said a dozen people have been arrested in Florida, Michigan, Canada, Colombia and Mexico in connection with the case.

U.S. authorities said they seized more than $3 million worth of cocaine, weapons, ammunition, cash and cryptocurrencies in connection with the case.

Wedding took part in the Canadian team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

He had previously been convicted in the United States of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to prison in 2010, according to federal records.

Estrada said U.S. authorities believe Wedding returned to drug trafficking after his release from prison and was protected by the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.

Wedding also faces drug trafficking charges in Canada dating back to 2015, said Chris Leather, chief commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

“These allegations remain largely unresolved,” Leather said.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.