Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding has been charged with running a drug trafficking ring across 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 U.S. prosecutors. A federal arrest warrant was issued for 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 operation allegedly shipped large quantities of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and California, to Canada and other locations in the US using long-haul semi-trucks.

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

“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 officials say was a case of mistaken identity.

“They were murdered in cold blood in front of their daughter, who was also shot thirteen 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.

US authorities said they have seized cocaine, weapons, ammunition, cash and more than $3 million in cryptocurrency in connection with the case.

Wedding competed on the Canadian team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

He was previously convicted in the U.S. of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and federal records show he was sentenced to prison in 2010.

Estrada said U.S. authorities believe Wedding returned to drug trafficking after he was released from prison and was protected by the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico.

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

“These charges are virtually unsolved,” Leather said.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.