Court Accuses Maduro of Plundering Venezuelan Wealth in Legal Fee Dispute

Thu Mar 26 2026 20:36:43 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

In a New York court, former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's request to use government funds for legal fees faced opposition, as prosecutors claimed he 'plundered' the nation's wealth.

Amid a dramatic court hearing in New York, Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cillia Flores sought to have Venezuelan government funds utilized for their legal defense against serious charges of narco-terrorism. Prosecutors strongly opposed this request, accusing Maduro of having 'plundered' the nation's resources. Judge Alvin Hellerstein acknowledged the complexities involved, emphasizing the right to defense but indicated he would not rule on the case at this time.

A judge appeared sympathetic on Thursday to legal arguments that ex-Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cillia Flores should be allowed to use money from the Venezuelan government to fund their defence.

Maduro and Flores's attorneys asked the judge to dismiss the narco-terrorism case against the pair because the US denied them use of the funds for their lawyers due to current sanctions.

Prosecutors argued Maduro plundered Venezuela's wealth and should not be able to use that country's money for legal fees.

The 92-year-old Judge Alvin Hellerstein noted that the right to defense is paramount, though he stated that he would not dismiss the case over the dispute.

Judge Hellerstein remarked that he would issue a ruling at a later time, which will include the next court date.

Maduro and Flores were seized by US forces from his compound in Caracas in a dramatic night-time raid on January 3, and were brought to New York to face allegations of weapon and drug offences, which they deny.

Wearing green khaki prison jumpsuits, Maduro and his wife sat quietly with several lawyers in-between them, listening to the translation of the arguments through headphones. This contrasted with their first court appearance, when Maduro claimed he had been kidnapped and was innocent.

Because the Maduros and the Venezuelan government are subject to US sanctions, they needed to obtain a license to allow the government to pay their legal fees. Initially granted, this license was later revoked by the US Government Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Prosecutors contended that the Maduros should not access Venezuelan government funds over national security concerns and asserted the couple has access to personal funds for legal fees, which the Maduros denied.

Under US law, Maduro would be entitled to a court-appointed lawyer if unable to afford his own. Judge Hellerstein sided with Maduro's lawyer regarding the complexity of the case, suggesting a public defender might not provide adequate representation.

Prosecutors indicated that if the judge showed any inclination to side with Maduro's request for a dismissal, they could approach the US government again regarding the release of the funds.

US authorities have charged Maduro with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns, and destructive devices. As of now, Maduro and Flores have not applied for bail and remain in the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center without a set trial date.