Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who oversaw the Maduro case, dies at 92

New York — Federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who oversaw the criminal case against Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, died Wednesday at age 92 of natural causes, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York confirmed.

Hellerstein, appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1998, spent nearly three decades on the bench of the country's most prominent federal court. His cases included litigation over the September 11, 2001 attacks and the Archegos fund fraud of Bill Hwang.

In the Maduro case, the former Venezuelan leader and Flores pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism charges. Trial had been set for June 2027, and a hearing was scheduled for November 17, 2026 on the defense's motion to dismiss the case on sovereign immunity grounds.

According to the court, a new judge will be randomly assigned to take over the Maduro case and Hellerstein's other matters. His death does not void the charges: the case will continue under the judge who is appointed.

Photo: AlbertoNews

Source: ABC News / AlbertoNews and Bloomberg Law