Olympic gold medalist and former Ohio State wrestler, Kyle Snyder, was apprehended on Friday in connection with a prostitution sting operation, according to several sources. The 29-year-old was among 16 men who were apprehended during the operation on the North Side of Columbus, carried out by local law enforcement.
Columbus police Sgt. Joe Albert revealed that the department had placed online advertisements for escort services as a strategy to apprehend individuals seeking to engage in prostitution. Snyder reportedly contacted the police around 8:15 p.m. on Friday after seeing the online ads and later showed up at a nearby hotel, under the impression that he was meeting with a legitimate escort service.
Upon his arrival, authorities claim that Snyder paid the undercover officer in cash and requested oral sex, leading to his arrest for engaging in prostitution. He was subsequently released from the scene.
Snyder has had a distinguished wrestling career, particularly during his time with the Buckeyes. He clinched three consecutive NCAA heavyweight championships from 2016 to 2018. In 2015, he was instrumental in Ohio State’s team national title victory. His contributions to the sport were recognized in 2024 when he was inducted into the university’s athletics Hall of Fame.
During his tenure at Ohio State, Snyder also represented the United States in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, making history as the youngest American wrestler to ever clinch gold at the age of 20. He continued his Olympic journey at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where he secured a silver medal.
In his most recent Olympic outing, Snyder finished fourth in the 2024 Paris Games. He is expected to appear in court on May 19.