Orthodox Jewish Senior Judge Alvin Hellerstein to preside Maduro case

Ninety-two-year-old Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein will oversee the criminal case against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the U.S. District Court in New York. Hellerstein, an Orthodox Jew, has a long history on the federal bench since his appointment in 1998.

He is one of the oldest active judges and continues to handle significant cases. Maduro faces serious allegations, including narcotics trafficking and corruption. Hellerstein’s experience with complex cases adds to the importance of this high-profile prosecution.

The veteran district judge, was nominated in 1998 by Bill Clinton, has ruled in several high-profile cases, including:

Compensation claims over 9/11 attacks

Crimes related to the genocide in Darfur

A proposed settlement in the case against Harvey Weinstein

He previously rejected an attempt by Trump to challenge his hush money conviction with adult film star Stormy Daniels' affair allegations and also in 2020 ordered the release of Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen.

Last year, Hellerstein said Trump administration had improperly invoked the Alien Enemies Act. and rejected the governments efforts to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members.

He also remains active in Jewish community affairs alongside his judicial responsibilities.