Judge charged with taking $2 million to free Ryan Wedding's right hand
Federal prosecutors allege a Mexican official accepted the bribe to grant bond to Andrew Clark, the second-in-command of an alleged international drug ring.
By Anthony Foster ·
The Department of Justice announced on Thursday that a Mexican judge has been accused of accepting a $2 million bribe. The payment allegedly secured the temporary release of Andrew Clark, the second-in-command of a major drug organization. This action occurred during Clark's extradition proceedings, which had been pending since his arrest in Mexico in October 2024.
Luis Benitez Alcantara, 49, served as a district judge in Mexico City when he oversaw the case. According to the indictment, Clark negotiated a deal with Benitez to pay him approximately $2 million in exchange for a release order. The funds were moved through intermediaries. On February 24, 2025, Benitez received the full amount. That same day, he granted Clark bond and ordered him out of custody. Days later, Mexican authorities re-arrested Clark and sent him to the United States, where his criminal case is still ongoing.
The superseding indictment states that Benitez used his official position to unlawfully free Clark. The document claims this move allowed a major figure in an international drug organization to evade lawful detention. Benitez faces nine counts of accessory after the fact. If convicted, he could face a statutory maximum of 15 years in federal prison for each count. He was arrested in Colombia on Sunday, and the Justice Department has requested his extradition.
Attorney General Todd Blanche addressed the charges in a statement. "Crooked public officials, no matter where they are, who assist drug traffickers operating here at home will face justice in the United States," he said. ABC News has contacted Mexico's government and judiciary for comment on the allegations.
Clark is one of two Canadian nationals charged in the U.S. with drug trafficking, murder, and attempted murder. He is 36 and has pleaded not guilty. His boss, Ryan Wedding, is a former Olympian snowboarder who competed in the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Wedding, 44, was added to the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitive list before his arrest in Mexico in January. He is currently in U.S. custody and has also pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors allege that Wedding led a violent criminal organization that trafficked tons of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and the U.S. to Canada. The organization is also accused of orchestrating several murders for hire in Canada and Mexico. Wedding faces two separate trials that are scheduled to begin next year.
The case highlights the intersection of international drug operations and legal proceedings in neighboring countries. While the judge's actions temporarily freed Clark, the re-arrest ensured he remained in the U.S. judicial system. The government continues to pursue both the drug kingpin and his key lieutenant as well as the official who allegedly helped him escape once.
