Arrested Nicolás Maduro Mocked For Being In The Same New York 'Hellhole' Jail as CEO Assassin Suspect Luigi Mangione
Nicolás Maduro is sharing a jail with Luigi Mangione.
Jan. 5 2026, Published 3:20 p.m. ET
As he awaits his trial on federal drug trafficking charges, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is staying in a jail that has recently housed some of the most infamous celebrity convicts, RadarOnline.com can report.
And many social media users can't get over the fact that the ousted leader is now cellmates with the accused UnitedHealthcare CEO killer, Luigi Mangione.
Maduro was surrounded by soldiers as he arrived in New York.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently being held in New York's famed Manhattan Detention Center. The site, which held Sean 'Diddy' Combs during his s-- trafficking trial, has been described as a "h---hole."
Still, it's been the temporary home to some high-profile inmates, including Combs, Mangione, Jeffrey Epstein's former lover and partner Ghislaine Maxwell, mob boss John Gotti, and financier Bernie Madoff.
The irony of Maduro and Mangione possibly sharing a seat at the communal lunch table brought strong responses online.
"I wonder what Luigi Mangione and Nicolas Maduro are talking (right now)," one person pondered, as another cried out: "Here for a Luigi Mangione x Nicolas Maduro 'Prison Break' spin off."
A third person blasted: "Maduro is in the same prison as Luigi Mangione. Maybe Luigi can give him some tips on how to become a beloved icon for American leftists."
'H---hole Conditions'
Mangione is awaiting his trial in the same jail.
As Radar previously reported, before his trial got underway, Combs' legal team expressed their concerns about MDC's facilities and the "h---hole conditions," and claimed his conditions were "dreadful" and "inhumane."
Combs' attorney noted: "Several courts in this District have recognized that the conditions at Metropolitan Detention Center are not fit for pre-trial detention."
In particular, Marc Agnifilo complained about the food the record executive was given.
"I think the food’s probably the roughest part of it (for him)," Agnifilo revealed. "Sometimes, the more you push a person down, the stronger they get. Nobody's OK with staying in jail."
Maduro's Day in Court
Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center has housed notorious inmates.
Maduro and his wife were captured during a nighttime U.S. military operation in the oil-rich nation over the weekend. He pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges during his first court appearance on Monday, January 5, while also claiming he had been "kidnapped."
Just a few minutes after noon Eastern time, Maduro was led into the federal courtroom in New York. He was dressed in an orange shirt with a blue shirt over it, beige pants, and orange slippers, and shook hands with his lawyer before taking a seat.
Maduro’s wife was led to her seat immediately afterward. Both put on headsets to hear the proceedings as they are translated.
Appearing before Judge Alvin Hellerstein, Maduro said in Spanish: "I am not guilty, I am a decent man. I am still the president of my country."
'Large Scale Air Strike'
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President Trump shared a photo of Maduro shortly after his capture.
On Saturday, President Trump ordered what he described as a "large scale air strike" on Caracas, Venezuela, in the early hours of the morning, with at least seven explosions reported around 2 a.m. ET. Roughly two hours later, Trump announced on Truth Social that Maduro and Flores had been captured.
"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country," Trump wrote.
The raid drew instant criticism from Democrats for not letting Congress know his plans. Former Congressman Justin Amash called Trump's actions "unconstitutional and impeachable," while New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury demanded that Congress "rein him in immediately."
