Who is Judge Alvin Hellerstein, the 92-year-old judge overseeing the Maduro case in New York

Who is Alvin Hellerstein

• Judge Alvin Hellerstein presides over Maduro's narco-terrorism trial in New York
• Maduro and wife plead not guilty; next hearing set for March 17
• Hellerstein is known for handling complex, high-profile cases

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Alvin Hellerstein, a 92-year-old US federal judge appointed by former president Bill Clinton, is presiding over the high-profile trial of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in New York following his capture by US forces in Caracas.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty on Monday in a Manhattan courtroom to charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and weapons-related offences.

Trump reacts to judge overseeing Maduro case

After learning that Hellerstein would preside over the case, US President Donald Trump said, “He is very respected.”

Maduro was arrested during a US military operation while he was asleep in Caracas and later transferred to Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where he is currently being held.

Long-running case filed in a New York court

The case against Maduro was filed in 2020 but has been pending in Hellerstein’s court for nearly 15 years as part of a broader narcotics trafficking investigation. The proceedings have already resulted in the conviction of Venezuela’s former intelligence chief, Hugo Armando Carvajal.

Prosecutors allege that Maduro and senior officials used state institutions to facilitate large-scale cocaine trafficking into the United States.

Who is Judge Alvin Hellerstein?

A graduate of Columbia University Law School, Hellerstein served as a lawyer in the US Army from 1957 to 1960 before entering private practice. He was nominated to the Southern District of New York in 1998 and is among the longest-serving active federal judges in the United States.

He is known for handling complex, politically sensitive, and international cases with strict procedural control.

High-profile cases handled by Hellerstein

Over his long judicial career, Hellerstein has:

• Presided over civil litigation linked to the September 11, 2001, terror attacks
• Ordered the release of photographs showing abuse of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan in a landmark 2015 ruling
• Sentenced Archegos Capital founder Bill Hwang to 18 years in prison
• Jailed tech entrepreneur Charlie Javice for more than seven years for fraud
• Overseen a 2025 case in which BNP Paribas was held liable for aiding Sudan’s former regime

Run-ins with the Trump administration

Hellerstein has previously blocked Trump administration policies, including preventing the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members without court hearings. He also rejected Trump’s request to move his New York hush-money case to federal court, a decision later sent for reconsideration following a 2024 Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.

Charges against Maduro and the next hearing

Maduro faces four charges, including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, cocaine importation, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. The indictment also names his wife, son, and two senior officials, accusing them of enriching themselves through drug trafficking.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for March 17, when Judge Hellerstein is expected to hear pre-trial motions, including challenges to the legality of Maduro’s capture and questions of international jurisdiction.