Court documents have revealed a link between Project South, a major Toronto police investigation into organized crime and corruption within the York Regional Police, and the case of Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder who is a fugitive in the United States.
Project South Investigation Details
Project South, announced in February 2026, resulted in multiple charges against current and former York Regional Police officers, as well as civilians, for alleged involvement in drug trafficking, money laundering, and corruption. The investigation was led by the Toronto Police Service with assistance from the Ontario Provincial Police and other agencies.
According to the court documents, evidence gathered during Project South includes communications and financial transactions that allegedly tie certain individuals to Wedding's criminal network. Wedding, who competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics, is wanted in the U.S. for allegedly running a cocaine trafficking ring that moved large quantities of the drug from Colombia to the United States and Canada.
Connection to Ryan Wedding
The documents, filed in Ontario Superior Court, state that intercepted messages and seized records indicate that some of the same money laundering channels used by Wedding's organization were also used by individuals targeted in Project South. “There is a direct link between the financial infrastructure identified in Project South and the operations of Ryan Wedding’s drug trafficking network,” the documents read, according to a source familiar with the case.
Ryan Wedding, 44, is one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives, with a $10 million reward offered for his capture. He is believed to be hiding in Mexico or Central America. The connection between Project South and Wedding has not been previously reported.
Impact on Investigations
The revelation could lead to further charges or expanded investigations. Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw declined to comment specifically on the documents, stating only that “Project South has been a complex and far-reaching investigation, and we continue to follow all leads.”
York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween said his force is cooperating fully. “We are committed to rooting out any corruption within our ranks, and if this investigation helps bring a major fugitive to justice, that is a positive outcome,” he said.
The documents are part of a bail hearing for one of the accused in Project South, whose identity is protected by a publication ban.
