The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell

From Olympic snowboarder to one of the biggest cocaine traffickers in North American history — this is the unbelievable story of Ryan Wedding.

In this episode, Johnny breaks down how a privileged Canadian athlete went from chasing gold medals to running a billion-dollar cocaine empire alongside some of the most powerful cartels in the world.

You’ll hear how Wedding built a massive trafficking network stretching from Colombia to Mexico, the U.S., and Canada… how his operation moved tens of tons of cocaine every year… and how a series of murders, informants, and arrests finally brought his empire crashing down.

The episode also dives into the mystery surrounding his 2026 arrest — including shocking claims about a fake Instagram account, possible cooperation with authorities, and the question everyone is asking:

👉 Did he surrender… or was he secretly captured?

This is one of the wildest narco stories of the modern era — a rise fueled by ambition, psychology, and perfect timing in the global drug trade.

Topics covered:

-Ryan Wedding’s life before crime

-His rise in Canada’s drug underworld

-Connections to major cartels

-Billion-dollar trafficking operations

-Murders linked to his organization

-The investigation that took him down

-Theories about his dramatic arrest

This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following:

Cheers Health! Same night out — way better morning with Cheers. For a limited time our listeners are getting 20% off their entire order by using code CONNECT at https://CheersHealth.com #Cheers #ad

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Superpower! Head to https://superpower.com and use code CONNECT at checkout for $20 off your membership. Live up to your 100-Year potential. #superpowerpod

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https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow

00:00 Ryan Wedding: The Biggest Canadian Narco
01:52 From Olympic Dreams to the Drug World
03:39 The Birth of a Drug Empire in Vancouver
05:47 This Episode Is Sponsored By Cheers Health
07:45 Rise and Fall of the Weed King
08:38 Transition Into Cocaine Smuggling
10:26 Arrest, Courtroom Drama & Prison Lessons
12:03 Support Your Testosterone With Mars Men
14:45 Model Prisoner to Drug Kingpin
16:46 Rebuilding the Network in Montreal & Cartel Connections
19:43 Take Your Health Back With Superpower
22:08 On the Run in Mexico
24:01 Wedding's Massive Cocaine Operation
26:41 Unraveling: Murders, Police Crackdowns, Digital Slips
28:58 Arrests, Betrayals & Inside Jobs
31:44 The Fall of the Wedding Organization
33:36 Final Moves & The Fake Instagram Saga
36:35 Speculation, Conspiracies & Theories
38:18 The Man Behind the Empire
40:54 What's Next for Ryan Wedding
42:44 Will Wedding Cooperate or Stand Tall?
43:02 A Story for the Ages – Closing Thoughts
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Christian Carmona grew up in Medellín’s infamous Barrio Antioquia—an area known for prostitution, gambling, and later, cocaine. In this episode, Christian tells the inside story of a Colombian cocaine dynasty that quietly expanded from Medellín to Miami… and even Portland, Oregon.

Raised “Americanized” in the suburbs, Christian didn’t learn the truth about his father’s criminal enterprise until federal agents came crashing down in 1991—taking both of his parents at once. From cartel-era Miami strategies (stash houses, mules, low-profile living) to family-wide trafficking ties and the chaos of the early 90s, Christian lays out how the business really worked behind the scenes.

The story gets even wilder when Christian later gets pulled back into the orbit of his father’s old associates—working at a bank where traffickers allegedly used safety deposit boxes to stash cash and kilos. A setup, a sting, and years of court delays later, Christian describes spending nearly four years incarcerated while prosecutors tried to force him to cooperate.

This is a raw conversation about family, loyalty, survival, and redemption—plus how Christian found faith and wrote his book Zeal while locked up.

📚 Zeal by Christian Carmona is available now (English & Spanish). https://www.zealnovel.com/

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https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow

00:00 Growing up in Medellín’s Barrio Antioquia

04:08 The neighborhood’s history: red-light district → narco hub

09:29 Why Miami was the move (and how mules worked)

16:11 Living “middle class” while running a cocaine operation

20:47 Why Portland, Oregon became a new market

38:08 1991 indictment & parents arrested

51:02 Bank job, safety deposit boxes, and old ties resurfacing

58:22 The setup, DEA sting, and arrest

1:10:49 Four years jailed while prosecutors pushed cooperation

1:34:19 Faith, forgiveness, and writing Zeal
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In this jaw-dropping episode , we sit down with George Day — one of the most prolific yet largely unknown drug kingpins in American history.

Raised in Washington, DC, George was literally born into the drug trade. By age six, he was traveling across the border with his father, helping smuggle hundreds of pounds of marijuana hidden inside a Winnebago. As he grew older, his life spiraled deeper into the underworld — from trimming weed in Mexico to handling massive cash pickups and negotiating with Colombian suppliers before he was even a teenager.

After his father’s sudden death, George found himself — at just 11 years old — sitting on a multimillion-dollar drug ledger, forced to navigate dangerous debts, cartel relationships, and violent street politics. What followed was the rise of a cocaine empire that eventually stretched across all 50 states… and ultimately led to a life sentence plus 90 years in federal prison.

This is Part 1 of an unbelievable story about family, survival, crime, and the realities of growing up inside America’s drug economy.

👇 In this episode you’ll hear:

• Smuggling weed across the border as a child

• Meeting cartel figures and learning the trade firsthand

• Finding millions owed after his father’s death

• Negotiating with Colombian traffickers at age 11

• How the foundation of a nationwide empire was built

Subscribe for Part 2 — where George reveals how his empire exploded nationwide and what led to his downfall.

This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following:

AVA! Take control of your credit today. Download the Ava app, and when you join using MY promo code CONNECT20, you’ll get 20% off your first year—monthly or annual, your choice.

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NIC NAC! Go to http://nicnac.com/johnny and use code Johnny for 20% off, or use the store locator to find Nic Nacs near you.

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00:00 Growing Up in the Game
03:10 Family Roots & Father's Early Hustle
07:20 Boxing, DC Life & Father’s Construction Business
14:55 Smuggling Routes: From Jamaica to DC21:02 This Episode Is Sponsored By Ava
22:37 Business Fronts and Money Laundering
32:15 Legendary Kingpins: Rafel, George, and the Connect39:15 This Episode Is Sponsored By Hims and Nic Nac
42:08 Losing His Father: The Aftermath
54:38 Thrust Into the Family Business at 11
01:03:17 Taking Over & Protecting the Operation
01:15:20 Building the Empire: The Coke Pipeline
01:35:25 Massive Operations: Real Estate & Money Moves
01:44:47 International Transport: Planes, Lanes & Corrupt Customs
01:59:08 Scaling Up: 500 Kilos, Money Laundering & Distribution
02:11:46 Retirement, 9/11, & the End of an Era
02:14:52 The Game Changes: Security Tightens
02:22:46 The Legacy, Staying Low, & Part 2 Tease
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40 years inside the Hells Angels. Federal murder conspiracy charges. Bombings, informants, and a courtroom showdown with the U.S. government.

In this raw, unfiltered interview, longtime Ventura Hells Angels leader George Christie tells the inside story of outlaw biker life — from the brotherhood and early motorcycle culture to violent club wars, federal investigations, and the high-stakes legal battles that nearly destroyed his life.

He reveals what it was really like to:

• Rise through the ranks of a legendary 1% motorcycle club
• Survive assassination attempts and clubhouse bombings
• Face multiple federal prosecutions — and beat them
• Navigate informants, undercover operations, and government pressure
• Witness the evolution of biker culture from brotherhood to organized crime conflicts

This is a rare, firsthand account of one of America’s most controversial subcultures — told by someone who lived it for decades.

Go Support George!

Website: https://www.georgechristie.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/georgechristiejr/
YouTube:  @GeorgeGusChristie 

Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!
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00:00 Meet George Christie: Outlaw Legend

02:00 Early Days & Biker Culture Origins

06:00 Joining the Hell's Angels

10:00 Brotherhood, Bikes, and Old School Rules

14:00 Outlaw Clubs: From Bonding to Violence

21:00 Criminal Elements & Club Evolution

26:00 Club Wars, Prison, and Peace Efforts

33:00 Bombings, Feds, and Surviving the System

38:00 Government Tactics and Lawfare

45:00 Murder Conspiracy Case and Beating the Feds

55:00 Life After the Big Trial

01:03:00 Entrepreneurship, Fame, and More Heat

01:09:00 Running Ventura & The Power of Reputation

01:13:00 Dealing with Informants and Police

01:19:00 Courtroom Battles, Sons of Anarchy, and Pop Culture

01:29:00 Club Exit, Reflections & Writing the Story

01:34:00 Modern Times, Legacy & Final Thoughts
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In this episode Houston legend Mike D — the man many call the original King of Lean — unpacks the true story behind codeine culture in the American South.

Before “lean” was a mainstream rap flex… before double cups and purple memes… there was a street-level hustle that changed Houston forever.

Mike D breaks down how promethazine with codeine went from a quiet substitute for heroin to a full-blown cultural phenomenon — influencing DJ Screw, the Screwed Up Click, and icons like Pimp C, Bun B, and Lil Wayne. What started as something passed around on the corner turned into an underground empire moving thousands of dollars a day — long before law enforcement even understood what was happening.

In this interview, we cover:

* How Mike D became Houston’s go-to supplier
* The birth of “drank” culture inside DJ Screw’s house
* The economics of the codeine black market
* Street wars between Houston neighborhoods
* Texas prison brutality and plantation-style incarceration
* The real story behind Pimp C’s death
* Addiction, droughts, and what happens when supply dries up
* How music and drugs fed off each other to build a movement

This isn’t just a drug story.
It’s a story about culture, capitalism, addiction, loyalty, betrayal — and how one underground market reshaped Southern hip-hop forever.

From Astroworld fights to state prison bids… from Mercedes at 16 to moving cases of syrup… Mike D tells it all.

Go Support Mike!

YouTube:  @1on1wMikeDpodcast 

Join The Patreon For Bonus Content!
https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow

00:00 Introduction & Mike D's Beginnings
01:20 Early Hustle, Music & Street Life
07:16 Houston's Hood Culture & Neighborhood Conflicts
17:51 Inside State Prison and Houston's Rap Legends
19:35 This Episode Is Sponsored By CashApp
21:12 Pimp C, UGK & Houston's Musical Roots
27:47 The Origins of Lean & Houston's Drug Culture
32:12 Spreading Lean Culture, The Detail Shop, and DJ Screw
38:42 This Episode Is Sponsored By Betterhelp
39:52 The Screw House, Houston Rap Scene & Lean Epidemic
45:50 Market Growth, Addiction & Codeine Business Expands
52:44 Scarcity, Turf Wars & Million Dollar Moves
59:42 The California Connection & Smuggling Lean
01:10:32 Law Enforcement, Risks, and Hustle Tactics
01:17:12 Market Collapse, Addiction, and the Opioid Shift
01:29:30 The Bust, Downfall & Lessons from the Game
01:42:43 Legacy, Chopped & Screwed, and the Codeine Cowboy
01:46:42 Closing Thoughts & Where to Find Mike D
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