Mexican judge Luis Benítez Alcántara was arrested in Colombia on November 1, 2026, under a U.S. indictment charging him with taking a $2 million bribe to release suspected drug trafficker Andrew Clark. Clark was second-in-command to former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding in a billion-dollar cocaine network. U.S. officials plan to request Benítez's extradition to face up to 15 years in prison per count.
Arrest and extradition of judge Luis Benítez Alcántara
- ▪Mexican judge Luis Benítez Alcántara was traveling to Colombia for personal reasons at the time of his arrest, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles
- ▪U.S. authorities announced that they will formally request the extradition of Mexican judge Luis Benítez Alcántara from Colombia to face charges in the United States
- ▪Mexican judge Luis Benítez Alcántara, 49, was arrested under a U.S. indictment charging him with nine counts of being an accessory after the fact
Statements by U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche
- ▪U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that corrupt public officials who assist drug traffickers operating in the United States will face U.S. justice regardless of their location
- ▪The Justice Department stated that it will continue identifying and dismantling transnational criminal organizations that threaten American safety
Bribery allegations involving Andrew Clark's release
- ▪Mexican judge Luis Benítez Alcántara oversaw extradition proceedings in Mexico in 2024 for Canadian citizen Andrew Clark
- ▪Prosecutors said Mexican judge Luis Benítez Alcántara granted Andrew Clark bond and ordered his release on February 24, 2025, the same day Benítez received the full $2 million bribe payment
- ▪Suspected drug trafficker Andrew Clark transferred approximately $2.75 million through intermediaries between November 2024 and February 2025 to secure his release from Mexican custody, US prosecutors said
Legal proceedings against Andrew Clark and Ryan Wedding
- ▪Ryan Wedding was arrested in Mexico earlier in 2026 and flown to California, where he pleaded not guilty to murder and drug trafficking charges
- ▪Ryan Wedding is scheduled to face trial in two separate U.S. cases set for March 31, 2027, and October 26, 2027
- ▪Days after his release on February 24, 2025, Andrew Clark was re-arrested in Mexico and removed to the United States to face drug trafficking and murder charges
Drug trafficking network led by Ryan Wedding
- ▪The Justice Department accused Ryan Wedding's network of shipping approximately 60 tons of cocaine per year from Mexico to Los Angeles on trucks for distribution into Canada
- ▪Law enforcement agencies have arrested dozens of people and seized drugs, weapons, cash, automobiles, artwork, and jewelry in connection with the Ryan Wedding drug trafficking investigation
- ▪U.S. authorities identified Andrew Clark as the second-in-command of a drug trafficking network allegedly led by former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding
Story comments
Loading comments…