United States v. Nicolás Maduro Moros et al., originally filed under United States v. Carvajal-Barrios, is a federal criminal case filed against former president of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro, and various senior Venezuelan officials by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in 2011 and unsealed on March 26, 2020. The indictment alleged that Maduro and his associates conspired with Colombian guerrilla groups to traffic cocaine into the United States as part of what U.S. authorities termed a narcoterrorism conspiracy.

The indictment initially included Hugo Carvajal, who was arrested in Spain in 2021 and extradited to the United States on a warrant for drug trafficking in 2014. Carvajal pleaded guilty in June 2025. Clíver Alcalá Cordones, who was also indicted, surrendered to U.S. agents in Colombia and, in 2023, pleaded guilty to providing aid to the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

On January 3, 2026, a superseding indictment was unsealed after Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured during a U.S. military operation in Caracas supported by the DOJ and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Maduro and Flores were transported to the United States and taken into federal custody in New York City, and are currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. They have pleaded not guilty.

Maduro and Flores were set to return to court on June 30, 2026, but a judge delayed their return to court until July 22, 2026.

On July 22, 2026, Judge Alvin Hellerstein set the trial date for June 1, 2027, at the request of lawyers on both sides.

Background Venezuela was identified by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in 2011 as a major cocaine transit country from Colombia to North America and Europe.

On November 18, 2016, Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, both nephews of Cilia Flores, were found guilty after their arrest in Haiti for cocaine smuggling. They were sentenced on December 14, 2017, to 18 years in a U.S. federal prison.

Indictment On March 26, 2020, US Attorney General William Barr announced charges against Nicolas Maduro and several others in the Venezuelan leadership, which he called a "cesspit of corruption". Barr alleged Maduro was working with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to smuggle cocaine to the United States. The charges were filed primarily in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), with related cases in the District of Columbia and the Southern District of Florida.

The only other sitting heads of state to be criminally charged by U.S. prosecutors were Panama's Manuel Noriega and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi.

In a virtual press conference, United States Attorney General William Barr described Venezuela under Maduro's rule as a country "plagued by criminality and corruption". He accused Maduro and his allies of conspiring with the FARC to ship tons of cocaine into the United States to "wage a health war on American citizens".

According to prosecutors, Venezuelan leaders and the FARC faction organized an "air bridge" from Venezuelan military airbases to Central America and a parallel maritime route through the Caribbean. These operations allegedly moved hundreds of tons of cocaine annually and generated billions of dollars in illicit revenue for both the guerrilla groups and Venezuela's ruling elite.

The indictment included charges of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, and corruption. Prosecutors alleged that Maduro and his associates directed Venezuelan military and intelligence resources to protect cocaine shipments, provide armed escorts for flights, and allow clandestine airstrips to be used for trafficking operations. Some defendants were also accused of arranging weapons transfers to FARC in exchange for drugs, thereby tying the conspiracy to both narcotics and armed conflict.

Hours after the announcement, the United States Department of State offered a reward of $15 million for information leading to Maduro's arrest and up to $10 million for several of his top associates. The indictment was unsealed the same day it was filed, and the DOJ released wanted posters for Maduro and other defendants. The decision to go public immediately, despite knowing the defendants were beyond U.S. jurisdiction, was interpreted as both a legal maneuver to strengthen U.S. extradition efforts abroad and a political signal of Washington's intent to escalate pressure on the Venezuelan leadership.

A superseding indictment of January 3, 2026, included the names of Maduro, his wife Cilia Flores, his son Nicolas Maduro Guerra, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, former interior minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, and the alleged leader of Tren de Aragua, Niño Guerrero.

Defendants

Court Defendant(s) Position/Role Charges/Allegations Reward (USD) Status (as of 2026) Southern District of New York (SDNY) – Main narco-terrorism indictment SDNY Nicolás Maduro Moros Former President of Venezuela Accused of leading conspiracy with FARC; authorizing cocaine trafficking routes 50,000,000 Deposed and captured, sent to U.S. (2026); pleaded not guilty (2026); ongoing trialSDNYCilia Adela Flores de MaduroFormer First Lady of VenezuelaAccused of accepting bribes to facilitate drug trafficking; manipulating the anti-drug office of Venezuela – Captured, sent to U.S. (2026); pleaded not guilty (2026); ongoing trial SDNY Diosdado Cabello Rondón President of the National Constituent Assembly Described as ringleader of the Cartel of the Suns 25,000,000 At large in Venezuela SDNY Hugo Carvajal Barrios ("El Pollo") Former head of military intelligence Coordinated logistics and protection for shipments with FARC 10,000,000 Arrested in Spain (2021); extradited to U.S. (2023); pleaded guilty (2025) SDNY Clíver Alcalá Cordones Retired Venezuelan general Oversaw military support for drug flights and arms transfers 10,000,000 Surrendered in Colombia (2020); extradited to U.S.; pleaded guilty (2023) SDNY Vladimir Padrino López Minister of Defense Accused of shielding cartel operations 15,000,000 At large in Venezuela SDNY Maikel Moreno President of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice Alleged to have provided judicial protection for trafficking networks 5,000,000 At large in Venezuela Eastern District of New York (EDNY) – Indictments related to cocaine-trafficking conspiracies EDNY Néstor Luis Reverol Torres Former ONA director; ex-National Guard commander Charged with international cocaine distribution conspiracy (indictment unsealed 2016) – At large / not in U.S. custody EDNY Vassyly Kotosky Villarroel Ramírez Captain, Venezuelan National Guard Alleged use of official vehicles to move multi-ton cocaine loads to ports/airports for U.S. importation – At large / status not confirmed EDNY Rafael Antonio Villasana Fernández Officer – Venezuelan National Guard (ret.) Co-charged with Kotosky; alleged to arrange/escort large cocaine shipments using state vehicles – At large / status not confirmed EDNY Adriana Zunilde Suppa Peñate Customs broker ("La Gorda") Alleged to arrange concealment/shipping of cocaine via Puerto Cabello container traffic – At large / status not public Southern District of Florida (Miami) – Money laundering & corruption cases S.D. Fl. Luis Alfredo Motta Domínguez Former Minister of Electric Power; ex-head of CORPOELEC Conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering tied to bribe-tainted CORPOELEC contracts (2019 indictment) 5,000,000 Fugitive / not apprehended S.D. Fl. Various Venezuelan officials and businesspeople Linked to PDVSA Alleged laundering of hundreds of millions of dollars through U.S. banks and shell companies; corruption in state oil industry – Several prosecuted in Florida courts; others remain at large Southern District of Texas (Houston) – PDVSA bribery / FCPA cases S.D. Tex. Luis Carlos de León Pérez Former finance director, Electricidad de Caracas (PDVSA affiliate) Conspiracy to violate the FCPA; conspiracy to commit money laundering (PDVSA vendor kickback scheme) – Pleaded guilty (2018); sentenced August 7, 2023 District of Columbia – Corruption and drug-related charges D.C. Tareck El Aissami Vice President for the Economy Charged with drug trafficking, corruption, and links to FARC 10,000,000 Arrested by Venezuelan prosecutor's office on charges of treason, money laundering and criminal association (2023) District of Arizona – Arms export / export-control case D. Ariz. Guiseppe Luciano Menegazzo Carrasquel Venezuelan Air Force colonel (dual VE/IT citizen) Arms-export conspiracy (OV-10 Bronco engines); export-control violations (2010 indictment) – Convicted; sentenced to 19 months (Jan. 2025)

Developments Surrender of Clíver Alcalá Cordones in Colombia One day after the indictment was announced, retired Venezuelan general Clíver Alcalá Cordones surrendered to Colombian authorities in Barranquilla and was transferred to the United States. In 2023, Alcalá pleaded guilty to providing material support to a terrorist organization and to illicit arms transfers, while prosecutors dropped broader narcotics charges. His guilty plea marked the first conviction among those indicted in the case and demonstrated the U.S. willingness to pursue prosecutions even when the top defendants remained outside its jurisdiction.

Operation Gideon

In early May 2020, a failed armed incursion into Venezuela known as Operation Gideon was launched by a group of Venezuelan dissidents and U.S. private security contractors. The mission aimed to capture Maduro and other senior officials and transport them to the United States.

Media investigations and testimonies from those involved indicated that the operation was at least partly motivated by the rewards announced by the U.S. government in March 2020, which offered up to $15 million for information leading to Maduro's arrest and lesser sums for several of his associates.

According to subsequent reports, some participants believed that delivering Maduro to U.S. authorities would secure the bounty and provide international legitimacy for their actions. The Venezuelan government quickly defeated the incursion, killing several participants and arresting dozens more, including two former U.S. special forces soldiers. Maduro cited the incident as proof that the United States was seeking his removal through both legal and covert military means.

2021 arrest of Hugo Carvajal Former intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal initially evaded arrest after fleeing Venezuela in 2019, after breaking ties with Maduro. He was apprehended in Madrid in September 2021 by the National Police Corps following years in hiding. After a lengthy extradition battle in Spanish courts, Carvajal was extradited to the United States in July 2023 and arraigned before the Southern District of New York. He initially pleaded not guilty but, in June 2025, pleaded guilty to narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges. His plea was considered a major breakthrough for U.S. prosecutors, who had long sought his testimony regarding ties between Venezuelan officials and Colombian guerrilla groups.

2024 presidential election and aftermath The July 2024 presidential election significantly intensified international pressure on Nicolás Maduro's government. Opposition candidate Edmundo González claimed victory based on precinct-level tallies and independent monitoring, while the government-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Maduro the winner. The disputed outcome triggered nationwide protests, which were met with repression by Venezuelan security forces.