A district judge in Mexico has been arrested for allegedly accepting a $2 million bribe to allow the release of Andrew Clark, the second-in-command to alleged drug kingpin Ryan Wedding. Luis Benítez Alcántara, 49, was arrested in Colombia and faces a nine-count federal indictment in the U.S. accusing him of being an accessory after the fact.
Authorities allege that Benítez accepted the bribe in exchange for granting Clark, 36, bond and ordering his release. Clark was arrested in Mexico in October 2024 on U.S. charges of murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking, with Wedding also named in the indictment. Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder, is in federal custody in the U.S. facing similar charges.
Clark appeared before Benítez for extradition proceedings. In November 2024, the U.S. requested Clark's extradition. Between November 2024 and February 2025, Clark allegedly transferred nearly $3 million through intermediaries to secure his release. On February 24, 2025, the same day the $2 million bribe was reportedly paid, Benítez granted Clark bond and ordered his release.
"Crooked public officials, no matter where they are, who assist drug traffickers operating here at home will face justice in the United States," said Attorney General Todd Blanche. "Thanks to the work of the Homeland Security Task Force and our international law enforcement partners, Mr. Benítez will be held accountable."
Days after his release, Clark was re-arrested and transferred to the United States, where he still faces criminal charges. If convicted, Benítez faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison on each count.
Wedding, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, pleaded not guilty in January 2026 to 17 federal felony charges. He was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List in March 2025 and arrested in Mexico 10 months later. The U.S. is seeking Benítez's extradition from Colombia.