Kyle Snyder, the Olympic gold medalist and former NCAA wrestling champion, has been arrested in connection with a prostitution sting operation, according to multiple reports. Snyder was arrested last week after he reportedly replied to a fake online advertisement set up by law enforcement officials to target people trying to pay for sex.
Snyder, 29, is said to have arranged a meeting with an undercover officer and showed up at the hotel about half an hour later. He then allegedly offered cash in exchange for oral sex. Officers said that Snyder was "arrested for Engaging in Prostitution by officers inside the hotel room" according to a statement given to TMZ.
Caught Red-Handed
Columbus Police Sergeant Joe Albert confirmed the arrest to reporters on Monday, saying that Snyder was one of 16 people taken into custody during the sting operation. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 19.
After winning a gold medal in the heavyweight division at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Snyder was appointed to President Donald Trump's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition in 2018. He later won a silver medal at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics, held in the summer of 2021.
Snyder, who identifies as a Christian, is reportedly married to Maddie Pack, a former Syracuse University soccer player.
He had recently signed with the Real American Freestyle wrestling league, which features Hulk Hogan as its commissioner and is set to launch its first season in August.
Just last week, Snyder was announced as one of the league's newest members, joining fellow Olympic medalists Kyle Dake and Aaron Brooks. Hogan praised Snyder and others in the lineup, saying they "represent the best of the best and that´s who we´re targeting for Real American Freestyle."
"Our goal is to give these athletes an opportunity to continue their careers, create a platform for greatness, and inspire a legacy that lasts."
Reputation Damaged
Though Snyder hails from Maryland, he has strong connections to Columbus, having won three national titles while wrestling for Ohio State. His second championship, in 2017, was especially notable as he pushed through the quarterfinals with torn chest cartilage.
In 2016, Snyder made history by becoming the youngest wrestler ever to win the coveted 'triple crown'—winning titles at the World Championships, NCAA, and the Olympics all in the same year.
Snyder had once hinted at a possible transition to mixed martial arts with the UFC but later clarified that his focus was on competing in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles instead.
Snyder was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame last year. During his college career, he was a three-time All-Big Ten selection and a Big Ten heavyweight champion. He went undefeated in both 2016 and 2017, posting a perfect 28-0 record over those two seasons.
Snyder finished his collegiate career with an overall record of 75-5 and was twice named Ohio State's Male Athlete of the Year.
By the time of his Hall of Fame induction, he had collected 42 international wrestling medals, including 30 golds.
