Prosecutors Allege Former Venezuelan First Lady Built Family-Run Network That Gave Relatives Control of Drug Routes

Prosecutors allege that Cilia Flores, the former Venezuelan first lady, built a family-run network that granted relatives control over drug routes, state contracts and key government positions, according to a federal indictment reviewed and analyzed by The Wall Street Journal.

Flores, who was arrested alongside her husband Nicolás Maduro in January and flown to New York to face narcoterrorism-related charges, has pleaded not guilty. In court, she said she was "completely innocent," while her lawyer stated the defense intends to challenge the government's evidence.

U.S. prosecutors accuse Flores of conspiring with senior Venezuelan officials to facilitate cocaine shipments into the United States, including by accepting bribes and enabling drug flights. Investigators say she oversaw a system in which family members were placed in positions that allowed them to control logistics and finances tied to trafficking operations.

According to court records and former associates cited by The Wall Street Journal, the network—informally known as "El Jardín de Flores" or the Garden of Flowers, a play on her surname—relied on a wide circle of relatives. Authorities have sanctioned multiple family members over the years, including siblings, children and nephews. Two nephews were arrested in Haiti in 2015 during a failed cocaine deal, while another relative was described as a financial coordinator within the group.

Former Venezuelan prosecutor Zair Mundaray told the outlet that Flores was "an architect of a system of impunity," saying the structure allowed trafficking operations to function "without legal consequences." Prosecutors allege that, in one instance, Flores accepted payments tied to drug flights arranged through state officials, with fees reaching $100,000 per shipment.

The alleged system extended into state institutions. Relatives were appointed to roles in parliament, security agencies and the state oil company, according to investigators, giving them access to public funds and infrastructure. One nephew was elevated to senior financial roles at the national oil company, while others were linked to kickback schemes tied to government contracts.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said last week that authorities are continuing to pursue others connected to the case. "We have many, many unindicted co-conspirators," she said in a Fox News interview, adding that investigations extend beyond New York to other jurisdictions.

Bondi also described Flores as "equal, if not worse" than Maduro in terms of alleged criminal responsibility, though she declined to provide further details due to the ongoing case.