Olympic Wrestling Champion Kyle Snyder Arrested in Columbus Prostitution Sting
Kyle Snyder, a celebrated American Olympic gold medalist and former Ohio State University wrestling star, has been arrested in connection with an undercover prostitution sting operation in Columbus, Ohio. Snyder, 29, was among 16 men detained by local law enforcement for allegedly soliciting sex through an illicit escort service operation monitored by police.
According to Sgt. Joe Albert of the Columbus Division of Police, the sting was part of a targeted effort to combat human trafficking and illegal sex work in the area. Authorities placed fictitious escort ads online as part of the operation. Snyder reportedly responded to one such ad on Friday, May 9, initiating contact via phone calls and text messages to arrange a meeting for sexual services.
Upon arriving at the designated location—believed to be a Columbus-area hotel—Snyder allegedly offered cash in exchange for sexual acts to an undercover officer posing as a sex worker. Police officers, who had been monitoring the situation closely, then moved in to make the arrest.
Body camera footage released by WBNS shows five officers entering the hotel room where Snyder was found. At the time of their entry, Snyder was reportedly not wearing pants, further confirming suspicions of intent. He was taken into custody after a brief on-site interrogation and later processed for charges related to solicitation.
This arrest comes as a significant blow to the reputation of one of the most accomplished wrestlers in American history. Snyder burst into the spotlight as a standout wrestler for Ohio State University, where he competed from 2015 to 2018. During his collegiate career, he captured three consecutive NCAA and Big Ten championships and helped lead the Buckeyes to a team conference title in 2015. In 2016, Snyder made history by winning the NCAA, World, and Olympic titles in the same year, becoming the youngest wrestler ever to achieve this “triple crown.”
Internationally, Snyder has been a dominant force in freestyle wrestling. He captured a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and added a bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Games. He also represented the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he narrowly missed the podium, finishing in fourth place.
JP2021.COM