A considerable number of Instagram users have seemingly fallen for a profile claiming to be owned by Canadian fugitive Ryan Wedding. However, a scrutiny by CBC News reveals that the account is predominantly driven by artificial intelligence-generated content.
In recent days, an individual using the username bossryanw began posting images of luxury motorcycles, a helicopter, a snowboarding medal, and even a miniature statue of Wedding on a public Instagram account. This profile garnered over 44,000 followers by Monday evening after being highlighted on a Toronto crime blog and extensively shared online. Additionally, a post by gossip outlet 6ixBuzz on the social media platform X, promoting the fake account, has garnered at least 740,000 views.
Comments on the Instagram account highlighted the deceptive nature of the AI-generated content, with users expressing how easily people can be misled by such technology. An analysis by CBC News uncovered several indicators suggesting that an impostor has been uploading images created using AI. Consequently, the ostensible depiction of Wedding, an ex-Olympic snowboarder for Team Canada and a globally sought-after fugitive, living extravagantly while evading capture is debunked.
For more than a decade, Wedding, a native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, has managed to evade arrest amid charges related to cocaine trafficking. Initially pursued by the RCMP in 2015, he was included on the FBI’s most-wanted list last year over allegations of orchestrating numerous murders as the head of a transnational criminal group.
The Instagram account also featured a photo of an orange motorcycle supposedly autographed by MotoGP champion Marc Márquez, inscribed with “para mi amigo RW” (for my friend RW). However, a representative for Márquez refuted any association with Wedding, confirming that the signature and writing on the image were not genuine.
The account showcased several images that displayed signs of AI manipulation, such as a golden medal draped over a Daffy Duck sculpture alluding to a property seizure in Mexico linked to Wedding. Another photo depicted a collection of MotoGP motorcycles, including Dovizioso’s and Márquez’s, showing telltale signs of AI generation upon closer inspection.
In an intriguing turn of events, the individual operating the Instagram account claimed to be Ryan Wedding during interactions with CBC News over the encrypted messaging app Threema. Despite the user’s assertions, they declined to furnish any evidence of their connection to Wedding.
The rise of AI-generated content on social media platforms is a growing concern, according to Mathieu Lavigne, an analytical lead at McGill University’s Media Ecosystem Observatory. Lavigne emphasized the allure of such content to audiences interested in true crime narratives, cautioning against the proliferation of AI-generated material in the digital sphere.
The FBI has refrained from commenting on the account, and Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has not responded to inquiries. Reports suggest that Wedding is currently residing in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel, with recent raids uncovering a cache of high-end motorcycles linked to the fugitive. The FBI has disclosed only three verified images of Wedding taken since 2024, showcasing his evolution in appearance and alleged activities.