Mexican judge arrested for allegedly taking $2M bribe to free Canadian deputy of Ryan Wedding
U.S. prosecutors say the judge used his authority to free a Canadian trafficker tied to a transnational cocaine ring and murder cases.
- On Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department announced the arrest of Mexican judge Luis Benítez Alcántara in Colombia, accusing him of accepting a $2 million bribe to release Canadian drug trafficker Andrew Clark.
- Mexican authorities initially arrested Clark in Guadalajara in October 2024 on U.S. drug trafficking and murder charges; between November 2024 and February 2025, he allegedly transferred about $2.75 million through intermediaries to secure his release.
- On February 24, 2025, Benítez received the full $2 million bribe payment and issued rulings granting bond; he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on each of the nine counts if convicted.
- Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, "Crooked public officials, no matter where they are, who assist drug traffickers operating here at home will face justice in the United States," as U.S. officials request Benítez's extradition from Colombia.
- This case stems from a broader Homeland Security Task Force investigation into a multinational drug network led by former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, who remains in federal custody awaiting trials scheduled for March 31, 2027, and October 26, 2027.
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121 Articles
Olympic snowboarder turned drug kingpin linked to Mexican judge in $2M bribe scandal: cops
A district judge in Mexico has been arrested for allegedly accepting a $2 million payment to let the right-hand man of the ex-Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug kingpin, Ryan Wedding, go free.
Mexican judge accused of accepting bribes in drug case linked to former Olympian Ryan Wedding
(CNN) — A Mexican judge is accused of taking a $2 million bribe in exchange for releasing a suspected Canadian drug trafficker from custody in an investigation into a billion-dollar drug trafficking ring, U.S. officials said Thursday.
The magistrate was arrested on Sunday with the participation of Colombian security forces, and the United States has already requested his extradition to Bogotá, according to the Department of National Security (DHS) statement. In October 2024, while serving as a district judge in the Mexican capital, Benítez took over the case of Andrew Clark, a Canadian accused of being the lieutenant of former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, who wa…
Mexican Judge Arrested Over Alleged $2M Drug Bribe
A Mexican judge was arrested in Colombia and faces U.S. charges alleging he accepted a $2 million bribe to release Andrew Clark, an alleged lieutenant in Ryan Wedding’s cocaine-trafficking organization. Prosecutors say the judge faces nine counts of accessory after the fact, and the United States will seek his extradition. · 19 sources across the spectrum on IJR News.
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