Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein Dies at 92 in New York

Federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who presided over Nicolás Maduro's criminal case and major litigation stemming from the September 11, 2001, attacks, has died at 92, according to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. His death on October 28, 2026, means a new judge will be randomly assigned to handle Maduro's prosecution and Hellerstein's other pending cases.

The court confirmed that Hellerstein died of natural causes shortly before his 93rd birthday. Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1998, he served for nearly three decades in Manhattan, overseeing cases involving political leaders, corporate executives and allegations of serious misconduct, according to reports from The New York Times, CBS News and ABC News.

Hellerstein was still presiding over Maduro's prosecution at the time of his death. The ousted Venezuelan leader faces criminal allegations, including narco-trafficking, while his wife, Cilia Flores, has also faced charges. Earlier in October, Hellerstein denied Flores's request for release from jail while awaiting trial.

During that hearing, Hellerstein acknowledged the hardship of detention while emphasizing the allegations against Flores.

"Jail is not a nice place to be," Judge Hellerstein said. "But these are serious allegations."

Maduro's attorney, Barry Pollack, expressed condolences following news of the judge's death in a statement to CBS News.

"We were saddened to learn of Judge Hellerstein's passing and offer our condolences to his family," Pollack said.

Lawyer and former federal prosecutor Duncan Levin told CBS News that the transition to a new judge would not automatically halt Maduro's case. The successor could retain existing court dates or adjust the schedule after reviewing the proceedings and evidence.

"There's no automatic pause, and there's really no fixed period of delay. Obviously a new judge is going to need time to get familiar with the case, but they can keep all the existing dates on the calendar or adjust them as necessary," Levin said.

Levin said reviewing extensive case records is a routine part of judicial work, suggesting that the transfer would not necessarily cause a lengthy interruption.

"One of the main qualifications of being a judge is that you can read a lot of paper. The fact that there's extra paperwork falls into their skill set," Levin said.

Hellerstein also played a central role in litigation connected to former President Donald Trump. He repeatedly rejected Trump's efforts to move his New York state criminal case involving payments to adult film star Stephanie Clifford, known professionally as Stormy Daniels, into federal court.

The case concerned reimbursements to former Trump attorney Michael Cohen for a payment made shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Trump was convicted by a state jury, and Hellerstein rejected arguments that the conduct at issue involved protected presidential responsibilities.

In a written ruling, Hellerstein explained why he considered the reimbursements unrelated to constitutional duties.

"Reimbursing Cohen for advancing hush money to Stephanie Clifford cannot be considered the performance of a constitutional duty," Hellerstein wrote. "Falsifying business records to hide such reimbursement, and to transform the reimbursement into a business expense for Trump and income to Cohen, likewise does not relate to a presidential duty."

After the Supreme Court issued a 2024 decision affecting presidential immunity, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit directed Hellerstein to reconsider relevant arguments. On August 28, he again ruled against Trump, concluding that the trial evidence did not implicate presidential immunity.

Hellerstein's career also included extensive civil litigation arising from the September 11 attacks. Before becoming a judge, he represented Cantor Fitzgerald in private practice. The financial services firm lost 658 employees in the destruction of the World Trade Center.

Families of some victims sought a trial that could have required airlines to disclose whether their policies contributed to the hijackers' ability to board the planes. The parties ultimately reached confidential settlements, preventing that public examination of airline practices.

In an interview with The New York Times, Hellerstein acknowledged that the settlements limited what the public learned about the airlines' failures, while emphasizing the financial recovery achieved by the plaintiffs.

"But it pales in my mind," he said, "with the fact that the people who were suing for money got their money."

Colleagues and former lawyers described Hellerstein as conscientious, empathetic and committed to applying practical judgment. Judge Frederic Block of the Eastern District of New York recalled his religious convictions and approach to the law.

"conscientious, caring," Block said of Hellerstein, describing a judge who was "very much committed to referencing the Bible and philosophy of Judaism."

Hellerstein, an Orthodox Jew, was also known for scheduling some sentencing hearings on Fridays so he could reflect on his decisions during the Sabbath. Throughout his tenure, he handled a broad range of cases, including litigation concerning alleged abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and a federal lawsuit involving Harvey Weinstein. His other matters will also be randomly reassigned within the Southern District of New York.