Nicolas Maduro is seen in handcuffs after landing at a Manhattan helipad, escorted by heavily armed Federal agents as they make their way into an armored car en route to a Federal courthouse in Manhattan on January 5, 2026 in New York City. (Photo b …
WASHINGTON - According to Reuters, U.S. authorities have opened a second criminal investigation into former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, raising the possibility of additional charges beyond the narcoterrorism case already pending against him in New York.
Dig deeper:
The investigation, being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami, has reportedly been underway for several months, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because the probe remains active.
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Maduro, wife brought to New York after being captured
President Trump announced he is putting Venezuela under temporary American control after the United States captured Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and took him to New York to face drug-trafficking charges. LiveNOW's Austin Westfall brings retired marine intelligence officer Hal Kempfer into the conversation to discuss.
What they're saying:
One source said the Florida-based investigation was already active when President Donald Trump ordered the January military operation that led to the capture of Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69. The inquiry is believed to be examining potential money laundering allegations.
The other side:
Attorneys for Maduro, as well as a spokesperson for the Justice Department, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Soldier enters plea in $400K Maduro betting scheme
A U.S. special forces soldier pleaded not guilty to charges that he used classified information about the mission to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to win more than $400,000 on the prediction market Polymarket.
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The backstory:
Maduro is already facing federal charges in Manhattan related to alleged narcoterrorism conspiracy and drug trafficking offenses. He has pleaded not guilty and is currently being held in a Brooklyn detention facility while awaiting trial.
The original New York indictment, first filed in 2020, served as part of the legal basis for the U.S. special forces operation in Caracas that removed Maduro from power.
The separate Florida investigation could provide prosecutors with an alternative legal path if complications arise in the New York case. Trump also suggested in March that Maduro could face further prosecution in the United States.
RELATED: Close Maduro ally deported to US, will face criminal charges
The same Miami U.S. Attorney’s Office recently unsealed money laundering charges against Maduro ally Alex Saab. Prosecutors there are also expected to pursue charges tied to the 1996 downing of aircraft flown by a Cuban exile group.
Saab’s arrest and transfer to the United States signaled an apparent increase in cooperation between U.S. and Venezuelan authorities under acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
The Source: Reuters contributed to this report, which cited a Justice Department official and another source familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. This story was reported from Los Angeles.