Mexican Judge Luis Benítez Alcántara was arrested in Colombia on Sunday, facing U.S. charges for allegedly accepting a $2 million bribe. The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that Benítez Alcántara, a district judge in Mexico City, took the payment to grant bond and order the release of Ryan Clark, identified as the second-in-command of former Olympic snowboarder Ryan J. Wedding's international drug operation.
According to the DOJ, Clark was orchestrating a billion-dollar transnational criminal organization responsible for supplying a significant amount of cocaine to Canada, with connections in Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S. Clark was initially arrested in Mexico on October 8, 2024, and appeared before Benítez for extradition proceedings the following day. The indictment states that between November 2024 and February 2025, Clark sent approximately $2.75 million through intermediaries, with Benítez receiving $2 million on February 24, 2025, the same day he ordered Clark's release on bond.
Benítez faces nine counts, including being an accessory after the fact to aid and abet Clark. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in federal prison. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that "crooked public officials, no matter where they are, who assist drug traffickers operating here at home will face justice in the United States."
Ryan Clark and Ryan Wedding face additional charges including murder, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, and continuing a criminal enterprise. Wedding, who was previously on the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted List, was arrested in Mexico in January 2026. His empire allegedly worked with the Sinaloa Cartel to distribute cocaine across North America. He has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges against him.