Washington (EFE).- The deposed president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, added the lead attorney for hip-hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who was convicted on two counts of transporting individuals for the purpose of prostitution, to his defense team, according to court records consulted by EFE.
Attorney Anna Estevao, from the firm Harris Trzaskoma, was formally added to Maduro’s legal team through a notice filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, where the deposed president faces charges of narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Estevao was part of the defense team for hip-hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and participated in the trial that concluded with the artist’s acquittal on the most serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
During that process, the lawyer was in charge of the cross-examination of Cassandra Ventura, the prosecution’s main witness and the musician’s ex-partner.
Maduro’s defense team
His incorporation took place two days after Maduro’s lead attorney, Barry Pollack, announced his arrival at the Harris Trzaskoma law firm.
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Pollack, also known for having represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, announced that he will seek to challenge the legality of Maduro’s capture and transfer to the United States.
This, while the defense prepares pre-trial motions whose next hearing is scheduled for June 30 in Manhattan.
The United States government allowed, in April, the Venezuelan state to finance Maduro’s legal defense in the process, following a dispute over the use of public funds to cover his lawyers’ fees.
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The decision, included in court filings before Judge Alvin Hellerstein, represented a change from previous restrictions that prevented such payments due to existing sanctions, although specific conditions were established regarding the origin and availability of the funds.
