The U.S. has extradited 18 suspects tied to the July 7, 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse to face federal charges. The detainees are among roughly 30 people indicted in the killing, which prosecutors say began as a plot to kidnap Moïse but escalated into murder. Authorities say former Colombian soldiers, Colombian nationals and Haitian gang figures were involved; it remains unclear whether former Haitian official Joseph Felix Badio was among those extradited.
18 Suspects Extradited To U.S. In 2021 Assassination Of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse
Eighteen people have been indicted, arrested and extradited to the United States in connection with the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, U.S. authorities announced Sunday. File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI
U.S. law enforcement announced Sunday that 18 suspects linked to the July 7, 2021, assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse have been arrested and flown to the United States to face federal charges.
According to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason Reding Quinones, those arrested are among roughly 30 people who were indicted in connection with the killing. Prosecutors say the plot began as a plan to kidnap and detain Moïse but ultimately devolved into an assassination.
What Officials Say
"The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse was a horrific attack," Quinones said in a social media statement. He added that U.S. authorities remain committed to working with international partners to expose the criminal network behind the attack, identify all participants and hold them accountable.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles said the killing was carried out by "individuals seeking to profit from illicit financial opportunities and business contracts" and described the multi-location, international arrests as evidence of the FBI's ongoing effort to bring everyone involved to justice.
Details And Context
Moisé was shot dead at his private residence in Port-au-Prince. His wife, Martine Moïse, sustained gunshot wounds to her arms and thigh and suffered additional injuries during the attack.
Authorities have said the operation involved participants from multiple countries, including about 20 Colombian nationals and several dual Haitian-American citizens. Prosecutors have also reported the involvement of former Colombian soldiers and Haitian gang figures, and court evidence presented in related trials included text messages that shifted the narrative of the plot from kidnapping to assassination.
The Miami Herald reported that a U.S. military aircraft was at Port-au-Prince's international airport earlier Sunday to transport some of the former Colombian soldiers accused of taking part in the attack.
Related Convictions
Four men in Florida—Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla and James Solages—were convicted months earlier on charges tied to the scheme to kidnap or kill Moïse. Prosecutors said those defendants recruited collaborators in the United States, Colombia and Haiti, including 22 former Colombian Army soldiers and Haitian gang leaders, to carry out the plan.
It remains unclear whether prominent, outstanding suspect Joseph Felix Badio, a former Haitian government official whom prosecutors say played a key role as the plot evolved, was among the 18 extradited to the United States.
Next steps: The extradited suspects will face federal prosecution in the U.S.; authorities say investigations continue to identify and bring to justice anyone else involved in the operation.
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