Tens of thousands of Instagram users have seemingly fallen for a profile claiming to be associated with wanted Canadian criminal Ryan Wedding. However, a recent investigation by CBC News reveals that the content on the page is actually produced by artificial intelligence.
Over the past week, an Instagram user with the username bossryanw began sharing images of luxury motorcycles, a helicopter, a snowboarding medal, and even a miniature statue of Wedding on a public profile. The account quickly amassed over 44,000 followers following its feature on a Toronto crime blog and widespread online sharing.
Comments on the Instagram account highlighted the remarkable deception, with one user noting, “This account is a perfect example of how easily people are fooled by AI.” A detailed review by CBC News identified several indicators suggesting that the images posted were likely created using AI and not depicting the real Ryan Wedding.
Ryan Wedding, a fugitive originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, has been evading authorities for over a decade on drug trafficking charges. He was added to the FBI’s most-wanted list in the previous year, accused of orchestrating numerous murders as the leader of an international criminal organization.
The Instagram account also featured a photo of an orange motorcycle supposedly signed by MotoGP champion Marc Márquez for “my friend RW,” although Márquez’s representative denied any association with Wedding. Several images shared on the account exhibited signs of AI manipulation, including illegible text on a medal and poorly rendered mechanical parts.
When CBC News contacted the individual behind the Instagram account, they claimed to be Ryan Wedding and expressed willingness to provide an in-person interview. The account, initially discovered on a subreddit related to the show “Narcos,” was later set to private mode. However, public data revealed its origins in Bolivia and multiple username changes since its creation in early 2021.
Mathieu Lavigne from McGill University highlighted the concerning trend of AI-generated content circulating on social media platforms, exploiting users’ curiosity and engagement patterns. The FBI and Meta, Instagram’s parent company, declined to comment on the account, while Mexican authorities recently seized 62 motorcycles in raids linked to Wedding, estimated at $40 million.
The FBI has released only three verified photos of Wedding since 2024, with the latest image showing him in Mexico last summer, displaying a distinctive lion tattoo on his chest. The authenticity of the Instagram account and its ties to the real Ryan Wedding remain unverified, raising caution about the prevalence of AI-generated content online.