Federal prosecutors open new criminal probe into Maduro, sources say

First on CBS Politics Federal prosecutors open new criminal probe into Maduro, sources say By Sarah N. Lynch, Sarah N. Lynch Senior Justice Department Reporter Sarah N. Lynch is the senior Justice Department reporter for CBS News, based in Washington, D.C. Read Full Bio Sarah N. Lynch, Jennifer Jacobs Jennifer Jacobs Senior White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs is a senior White House reporter at CBS News. Read Full Bio Jennifer Jacobs Updated on: May 19, 2026 / 1:03 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Federal prosecutors in Miami were ordered to open a new criminal investigation targeting detained former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro amid some concerns that the pending prosecution against him is weak, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.The new probe comes as Alex Saab, a close business associate of Maduro who served as Venezuela's minister of industry and national production, was deported to the U.S. and indicted for his alleged role in a money-laundering conspiracy scheme involving a Venezuelan public welfare food program.Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured by U.S. forces on Venezuelan soil in early January and transported to New York City to face narco-trafficking and firearms charges.  He was initially charged in a superseding indictment dating to 2020, while Bill Barr was attorney general.Both have pleaded not guilty.The order from senior Justice Department leaders to open a new criminal case in Miami against Venezuela's former leader was issued after Maduro was already in custody on the New York-based charges, the sources said. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment. An attorney for Maduro declined to comment on the new criminal investigation. The new investigation was formally opened around March, the sources said, and Michael Berger, a respected Miami-based prosecutor who specializes in international criminal cases, was assigned to oversee the effort, along with several agents from t...