Overview
- Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida formally opened the money‑laundering investigation in March and placed it under Michael Berger with teams from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigations.
- The Miami inquiry focuses on financial crimes rather than narcoterrorism and was developed as an alternative after officials privately raised concerns about the strength of the New York case.
- Alex Saab, who was deported to the United States on May 16 and made an initial federal court appearance in Florida on May 18, faces money‑laundering and conspiracy charges and is viewed by investigators as a potential source of detailed financial records.
- As of late May, prosecutors have not announced new charges against Maduro from the Miami probe and it remains unclear whether evidence from Saab or other steps will lead to formal charges in Florida.
- If expanded, the Miami case could shift the government’s strategy toward tracing contracts and bank transfers, prompt subpoenas and cooperation requests across jurisdictions, and extend the legal fight over Maduro’s financial network.