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The criminal defense attorney Anna Estevao, known for being part of the defense team for rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs in his 2025 federal trial, formally joined Nicolás Maduro's legal team this week, according to documents filed in the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York.
“It is hereby notified that the undersigned, Anna Estevao from the firm Harris Trzaskoma LLP, appears as the attorney for the accused Nicolás Maduro Moros in the aforementioned matter”, states the judicial document, identified as S4 11-CR-205 (AKH), and cited recently by the U.S. press.
A lawyer forged in high-profile trials
Estevao is a graduate of the Law School at New York University, is a member of the bar associations of New York and California, and has recognized experience in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and in the Southern District of New York.
His firm, Harris Trzaskoma LLP, describes it as follows:
"When her clients are subject to a criminal proceeding, Anna develops innovative and cutting-edge legal arguments that often lead to positive outcomes, such as the complete dismissal of charges and, when that is not possible, the reduction of charges and favorable sentences."
In the trial against Combs, Estevao played a central role in the cross-examination of Cassie Ventura, the prosecution's key witness, during one of the most public phases of the proceedings.
Her performance was described as "very strategic and precise," while also "honoring the emotional weight of Cassie's testimony," according to the law firm itself, which included her in the list of “Legal Lions of the Week” by the specialized publication Law360.
He contributed to achieving the dismissal of the most serious charges against Combs—sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit criminal activities—which would have resulted in decades of imprisonment for the artist.
The rapper was finally sentenced to 50 months in prison and a fine of 500,000 dollars for misdemeanor charges related to prostitution.
A top-level defense team
Estevao joins the team led by Barry Pollack, the lead attorney for Maduro, internationally known for having represented Julian Assange in the WikiLeaks case and for negotiating the agreement that allowed for the release of the founder of that platform in 2024.
Pollack, 61 years old, graduated with honors from the Georgetown University Law Center and has over thirty years of experience in high-profile criminal litigation.
Both belong to the Harris Trzaskoma law firm, based in Manhattan, whose involvement in the case was announced days before Estevao's arrival, according to Reuters.
The status of the judicial process
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured on January 3, 2026, in Caracas during a U.S. military operation and transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where they have been held for over 150 days.
The former Venezuelan president faces four federal charges: conspiracy of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
He has declared himself innocent of all charges and refers to himself as a "prisoner of war."
The judge Alvin Hellerstein rejected the defense's attempts to dismiss the charges, although he accepted the withdrawal without prejudice, leaving the possibility of reintroducing the motion open.
It also issued a strict order of confidentiality regarding the evidence, prohibiting the sharing of the material with unarrested defendants.
Regarding financing, the Department of the Treasury authorized Venezuela to pay Maduro's lawyers through modified licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), on the condition that "the funds must have been available after March 5, 2026, and cannot come from Venezuelan oil sales regulated in the United States."
The second investigation in Miami
In parallel to the process in New York, the U.S. has opened a second criminal investigation against Maduro in Miami in March 2026, focused on money laundering and led by prosecutor Michael Berger.
The focus of this investigation is Alex Saab, alleged frontman for Maduro, deported from Venezuela on May 16, 2026, and charged in Miami with conspiracy to launder money related to the CLAP program.
The next hearing in the New York case is scheduled for June 30 of this year, a date on which the defense plans to present motions to seek the dismissal of the charges and challenge the legality of Maduro's detention, as well as raise arguments regarding head of state immunity.
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