US judge handling Maduro’s drug trafficking case dies at 92

Alvin Hellerstein, the federal judge overseeing the long-running drug trafficking case against former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has passed away at the age of 92, according to an official announcement on Wednesday. Hellerstein was among the oldest active federal judges in the United States, sparking discussions about his capability to manage a potentially lengthy trial concerning Maduro.

Throughout his judicial career, Hellerstein presided over numerous significant cases, such as the 9/11 civil lawsuits, and frequently denied settlements he deemed unjust to plaintiffs. He engaged in legal disputes with former US President Donald Trump, blocking his efforts to move a New York hush money case from state to federal court and preventing the deportation of Venezuelan gang members without court appearances.

In 2015, Hellerstein ordered the release of photos revealing detainee abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also had jurisdiction over a 2025 trial involving French bank BNP Paribas in Sudan, where the bank was found liable for $20.75 million in damages to Sudanese plaintiffs. Hellerstein had presided over the Maduro case for over a decade, and it culminated in Maduro's capture by US forces in January.

Hellerstein studied law at Columbia University and served as a lawyer in the US Army before entering private practice. He was nominated to serve as a district court judge in the Southern District of New York by President Bill Clinton in 1998.