Judge Who Handled Trump and Maduro Cases Dies at 92

Alvin K. Hellerstein, the federal judge who managed high-profile cases involving President Donald Trump, former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and the 9/11 attacks, has died. He was 92. Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain confirmed he passed away Wednesday morning with his family by his side. A funeral is set for Thursday at Riverside Memorial Chapel in Manhattan.

Hellerstein remained active on the bench until his death. His most recent appearance was two weeks ago when he handled the arraignment of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The couple faces torture charges added to their existing narco-terrorism conspiracy case. Maduro was captured in a U.S. military raid in Caracas in January. During the hearing, Maduro refused to enter a plea as requested. Hellerstein intervened directly, stating that a not guilty plea would be entered on his behalf.

The judge also presided over a bail hearing for Flores on Oct. 8. He admitted to having a voice problem but insisted on continuing the proceedings. He had scheduled the trial for next June. With his passing, another judge will now be assigned to the case. Barry Pollack, Maduro's attorney, said the legal team was saddened by the news and offered condolences to the judge's family.

Hellerstein made a final major ruling in August regarding Trump's hush money case. He denied the president's request to move the state court conviction to federal court and dismiss it based on presidential immunity. This marked the third time Hellerstein rejected Trump's attempt to transfer the case. In his written decision, he noted that paying a $130,000 payoff to adult film actor Stormy Daniels was not an official act protected by immunity. The Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had previously sent the case back for him to reconsider specific issues.

Before the Trump cases, Hellerstein ruled in 2020 that the Justice Department acted retaliatorily when it revoked the home confinement of Michael Cohen. Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, had been released from prison to prevent him from speaking to the media or publishing a book. Hellerstein found the government's actions violated the First Amendment.

His legacy was heavily shaped by his work on 9/11 lawsuits over the past two decades. He managed dozens of wrongful death and injury claims. In March 2010, he rejected a $575 million settlement for workers who became ill from toxic ash. He argued that the case required a public judicial decision rather than a private handshake. He stated, 'This is different. This is 9/11.' In 2008, he ended a legal effort to keep searching for human remains in debris at a Staten Island landfill.

Hellerstein also presided over the criminal trials of Charlie Javice and Bill Hwang. Javice was convicted of defrauding JPMorgan Chase of $175 million, while Hwang was found guilty of securities fraud in 2024. In 2025, he oversaw a civil trial where BNP Paribas was ordered to pay nearly $21 million for its role in Sudanese atrocities. He was known for strict courtroom discipline, including requiring masks long after other judges dropped the rule.

Hellerstein was a New York native and a graduate of Columbia Law School. He served as a first lieutenant in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and worked as a litigator in Manhattan before President Bill Clinton appointed him to the federal bench in 1998. He took senior status in 2011 but continued to handle a full docket until his death.