Mexican judge taken into custody in Colombia over $2 million bribe
Luis Benítez Alcántara was arrested Sunday after U.S. prosecutors alleged he released a key drug trafficker in exchange for payment.
By Rafael Delgado ·
For the first time since U.S. prosecutors filed charges, a Mexican district judge accused of taking a massive bribe is in federal custody. Luis Benítez Alcántara was arrested in Colombia on Sunday, ending his freedom as authorities pursue a case tied to a major international cocaine ring.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Thursday that Benítez faces nine counts of being an accessory after the fact. Prosecutors allege he accepted $2 million from Ryan Clark, a Canadian national described as the second in command to former Olympic snowboarder Ryan J. Wedding. This payment allowed Clark to secure bond and leave jail while his boss built a billion dollar criminal operation.
The financial trail began in November 2024 when Clark sent approximately $2.75 million to intermediaries over four months. On February 24, 2025, Benítez received $2 million of that money. He granted Clark bond and ordered his release that same day, according to the superseding indictment.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that Benítez was a district judge in Mexico City who allegedly accepted the funds to release Wedding’s second in command. Patel noted that Wedding was orchestrating a transnational organization connected to Colombia, Mexico, and the United States. The department described the group as the largest supplier of cocaine to Canada during that period.
Clark’s initial arrest occurred in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 8, 2024. He appeared before Benítez for extradition proceedings on October 9, 2024, after the U.S. requested his transfer. Despite the judge’s decision to free him in February, Mexican law enforcement officers arrested Clark again days later. He was handed over to U.S. authorities on February 27, 2025.
Wedding was arrested in Mexico in January 2026. He previously appeared on the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List. Prosecutors accuse him of orchestrating the murders of numerous informants and affiliates. In January, Wedding pleaded not guilty to federal charges including running a criminal enterprise, murder, and conspiring to distribute cocaine. The indictment alleges his operation worked in concert with the Sinaloa Cartel.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said crooked public officials who assist drug traffickers will face justice in the United States. He noted that the Homeland Security Task Force and international partners worked to hold Benítez accountable. If convicted, Benítez faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
