Mexican Judge Arrested Over Alleged $2 Million Bribe to Free Ryan Wedding Associate
Luis Benítez Alcántara was arrested in Colombia after US authorities accused him of accepting a multimillion-dollar payment to release Canadian Andrew Clark, who faces charges linked to an alleged international drug-trafficking network.
By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
November 5, 2026
A Mexican judge has been arrested in Colombia over allegations that he accepted a US$2 million bribe to secure the release of a Canadian man accused of being a senior member of an international drug-trafficking organization allegedly led by former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding.
The United States Department of Justice announced on Thursday that Luis Benítez Alcántara, a 49-year-old Mexican judge, had been arrested on Sunday, November 1, in Colombia.
American prosecutors allege that Benítez Alcántara abused his judicial position to grant bail to Andrew Clark, a 36-year-old Canadian accused of serving as Wedding’s second-in-command in a violent international drug-trafficking network.
The judge faces a nine-count federal indictment in the United States. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison on each count.
US authorities have indicated that they will seek his extradition from Colombia to face the charges.
Alleged $2 million payment to secure Clark’s release
According to the US indictment, Benítez Alcántara was the district judge overseeing Clark’s extradition proceedings in Mexico.
Clark had been arrested in October 2024 over US allegations involving drug trafficking, murder and attempted murder. American authorities subsequently requested his extradition to face prosecution.
Prosecutors allege that between November 2024 and February 2025, Clark arranged payments through intermediaries in an effort to secure his release from Mexican custody.
The indictment claims that approximately US$2.75 million was transferred in smaller payments, with about US$2 million allegedly intended for Benítez Alcántara in exchange for granting Clark bail.
On February 24, 2025, the judge allegedly ordered Clark’s release after granting him bond.
American authorities say this happened on the same day the judge received the full alleged US$2 million payment.
Clark was subsequently arrested again just days later and transferred to the United States, where his criminal case remains pending.
The allegations against the judge have not been proven in court.
US authorities seek judge’s extradition
US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the arrest demonstrated Washington’s determination to pursue public officials accused of helping international criminal organisations.
He warned that officials who assist drug traffickers operating in the United States would face prosecution regardless of where they were located.
The US government is now expected to pursue Benítez Alcántara’s extradition from Colombia so that he can answer the charges before an American court.
The Mexican judicial authorities had not immediately provided a public response to the allegations at the time of the announcement.
Benítez Alcántara has not been convicted, and the charges remain allegations until determined through the legal process.
Andrew Clark’s alleged role in Ryan Wedding’s network
Clark is accused by US authorities of playing a senior role in the international criminal organisation allegedly associated with Ryan Wedding.
Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is accused of transforming himself into a major international cocaine trafficker after his sporting career.
American investigators have alleged that his organisation moved large quantities of cocaine through international routes connecting South America, Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Wedding was previously placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, with American authorities offering a reward of up to US$15 million for information leading to his arrest.
He was arrested in Mexico in January 2026 and transferred to the United States to face charges involving drug trafficking, murder and attempted murder.
Wedding has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges against him.
His case is expected to proceed through two separate trials scheduled for March 31 and October 26, 2027.
A wider investigation into international organised crime
The arrest of the Mexican judge adds another dimension to an international investigation involving Canadian suspects, Mexican authorities, American prosecutors and alleged criminal networks operating across several countries.
The investigation has also involved allegations of violence against individuals believed to have information about Wedding’s criminal activities.
US prosecutors have accused members of the alleged organisation of arranging killings to prevent witnesses from cooperating with law enforcement.
Several Canadians have also been arrested or charged in connection with the wider investigation.
The case has attracted considerable attention because of the alleged involvement of individuals across multiple jurisdictions and the challenges of pursuing international criminal organisations.
For American prosecutors, the latest arrest represents an effort to investigate not only alleged drug traffickers but also officials suspected of helping them evade prosecution.
The extradition proceedings against Benítez Alcántara and the pending criminal cases involving Clark and Wedding will determine how the allegations are resolved in court.
Until then, the individuals remain entitled to the presumption of innocence.
