Exclusive: Nicolás Maduro and his wife expected to face new charges over alleged torture of Americans

By Evan Perez, Hannah Rabinowitz, Kara Scannell, Jennifer Hansler, CNN

(CNN) — Prosecutors in New York are expected to bring new charges against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores over the alleged torture of Americans who were held in Venezuelan government custody in recent years, according to multiple people familiar with the investigation.

An announcement could come as soon as Thursday, the people said.

The new charges relate to what the US government has said was the wrongful detention of more than a dozen US citizens in Venezuelan prisons during the time Maduro led a repressive regime in Venezuela, the people briefed on the investigation said.

Investigators have also discussed charging several additional people for their alleged role in the torture of Americans, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The Maduros were captured in a US military raid in January from the presidential palace in Caracas. They have pleaded not guilty to narcoterrorism conspiracy and other charges and are held without bail in New York.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

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