Mexican judge arrested over alleged $2M bribe to free Ryan Wedding's alleged second-in-command
American officials say Luis Benitez Alcantara took a $2-million US payment to grant bail to Andrew Clark, a Canadian accused of playing a key role in Ryan Wedding's alleged drug trafficking ring.
By Hassan Okoye ·
A Mexican judge has been arrested on allegations that he took a $2-million US bribe to grant bail to a man described as second-in-command to Ryan Wedding, the former Canadian Olympic snowboarder now accused of running an international drug trafficking operation, American officials announced on Thursday.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Luis Benitez Alcantara is accused of abusing his official position to secure the release of Andrew Clark, a 36-year-old Canadian who allegedly holds a senior role in a violent trafficking network, allowing Clark to avoid detention.
Benitez Alcantara, 49, was taken into custody in Colombia on Sunday, and U.S. officials said a request will be made for his extradition. He faces a nine-count federal indictment and could receive up to 15 years in prison on each count if convicted.
"Crooked public officials, no matter where they are, who assist drug traffickers operating here at home will face justice in the United States," U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a news release.
Clark was originally arrested in Mexico in October 2024 on American charges of drug trafficking, murder and attempted murder, charges on which Wedding was also named, the release said. American officials formally sought Clark's extradition to face prosecution in the United States the following month.
From that point through February 2025, Clark allegedly moved roughly $2.75 million in small increments, routed through intermediaries, in an effort to win his freedom from Mexican custody.
Officials further allege that Clark agreed to pay Benitez Alcantara, the district judge presiding over his extradition proceedings, about $2 million in return for an order releasing him. The judge allegedly granted Clark bond and ordered his release in February of last year, the same day he is said to have received the payment.
Clark's freedom was brief. He was arrested again within days and transferred to the United States, where his criminal case remains pending.
Wedding, for his part, was arrested in Mexico in January of this year and brought to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking, murder and attempted murder. He is being held in federal custody ahead of two trials scheduled for March and October of next year.
