How an Olympic Snowboarder Became FBI's Most Wanted

Video Description

Go to https://buyraycon.com/brewopen to get 20% off sitewide. Thanks to Raycon for sponsoring our video! On June 10, 2008, three men landed at LAX, San Diego. One Russian, the other Persian and the third Canadian. They weren’t there for business meetings or sightseeing. They were there to buy 24 kilos of cocaine from a former KGB agent. When they landed, the former KGB agent asked to see the money. However, the Canadian refused saying, “Obviously, I didn’t put it in my f— suitcase.” This angered the ex-agent, but they found middle ground. They’d first buy one kilo, inspect it, then return for the rest. The next day, the Persian and Canadian visited a Persian rug store to pick up $120,000 in cash, wrapped in newspaper, and hid it in their hotel room. On June 13, the Russian left the hotel with $17,000 to buy the sample, while the other two waited in the room. After an hour and a half, they grew restless. Hungry. They stepped out to get food. And walked straight into an FBI trap. The deal had been a setup from the start. Trofimov, the ex-KGB agent, was an FBI informant wearing a wire and the cocaine was supplied by the Bureau. Krapchan and the Persian, Hassan Shirani, pled guilty. But the Canadian did not. At his 2010 sentencing, he pleaded with the judge. “What I did was completely out of character for me, and it is a personal mission of mine to rebuild my reputation. As an athlete, I was always taught that there are no second chances, and, well, I’m here asking for exactly that.” The man asking for forgiveness was Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, a young athlete who represented Canada on the world stage. The judge showed leniency, handing down a sentence that seemed merciful at the time. A decision that would lead to a catastrophic series of events. Fifteen years later, that same man would be on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted, for murders all across North America and for being the kingpin of a billion-dollar international drug empire. This is the hunt for Snowking. Support us by joining our Stacked (our Patreon-style membership): https://www.stacked.com/brew/membership Sources: https://rentry.co/zprocecy