Haiti Assassination Suspects Extradited to Face U.S. Trial

Eighteen people accused of taking part in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise have been extradited from Haiti to the United States, where they will face federal charges. The suspects were transported by military aircraft from Port-au-Prince to Florida on Sunday. US prosecutors say the alleged plot was organized, financed and carried out in part from southern Florida, giving US federal courts jurisdiction over the case. The extraditions follow convictions in May of four men whom prosecutors described as gang leaders and co-conspirators. At least five other defendants have pleaded guilty and are serving life sentences. US Attorney Jason A. Reding Quinones said the investigation would continue, promising to pursue everyone who financed, facilitated or supported the assassination. The FBI also confirmed that multiple arrests had been made in the United States and abroad. Moise, 53, was shot and killed at his private residence in Port-au-Prince in July 2021, while his wife was critically injured. His death created a political vacuum in Haiti, which has not held national elections since the assassination. Armed gangs have since expanded dramatically and are estimated to control about 90 percent of the capital. The United Nations documented at least 8,100 gang-related killings in 2025 and reported that approximately 1.5 million people had been displaced by insecurity. The US proceedings reflect the collapse of Haiti’s judicial system amid gang violence, political turmoil, corruption and overlapping humanitarian crises. Pierre Esperance of Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network called the extradition of the suspects a “disgrace for the Haitian justice system” and urged reforms so complex cases can eventually be tried in Haiti.

Eighteen people arrested in connection with the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse were awaiting extradition from Haiti to the United States, according to the article. The extradition marks the end of a prolonged judicial process in Haiti and begins another phase of the case in U.S. courts, where the suspects are expected to face trial in Florida. Jason Reding Quiñones, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, said the extradition is part of an ongoing effort to establish accountability for Moïse’s killing. In a statement posted on X, he said U.S. authorities would continue following the evidence to identify people who financed, facilitated, supported or directly carried out the assassination. He emphasized that the investigation was not over. The identities of the 18 suspects were not disclosed. Those still in Haiti awaiting trial include more than a dozen Colombian soldiers and a former Haitian government official. Quiñones said 30 people have been indicted in connection with the killing. FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles said multiple arrests had also taken place in the United States and abroad, adding that investigators were committed to holding accountable anyone who allegedly sought financial gain from the assassination of a head of state. The extraditions come as the United States continues prosecuting other suspects. In May, a Florida jury convicted Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla and James Solages of conspiring to kill or kidnap Haiti’s elected leader and providing material support for the plot. The four men had pleaded not guilty. At least five other defendants have pleaded guilty and are serving life sentences. Moïse was killed in July 2021, an event that deepened instability in Haiti and shocked the country. The U.S. proceedings represent the latest effort to pursue those accused of organizing, financing or carrying out the assassination.

Eighteen people arrested in connection with the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse were being extradited from Haiti to the United States to face trial in Florida. The transfers mark the end of a lengthy judicial process in Haiti and the next stage of a U.S. prosecution that has expanded through arrests and indictments in several countries. Reding Quiñones, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, said the extradition was part of an effort to hold accountable everyone who financed, facilitated, supported or carried out the assassination. He said 30 people have been indicted in the case. FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles said multiple arrests had occurred in the United States and abroad and that investigators would continue pursuing those who allegedly sought profit from the killing of a head of state. The identities of the 18 extradited suspects were not disclosed. More than a dozen Colombian soldiers and a former Haitian government official remain in Haiti awaiting trial. The United States has already prosecuted other people connected to the plot. In May, a Florida jury convicted Arcángel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla and James Solages of conspiring to kill or kidnap Haiti’s elected leader and providing material support for the plot. At least five additional defendants have pleaded guilty and are serving life sentences. Former first lady Martine Moïse, who was wounded in the attack, testified in a Miami federal court in March. Her testimony described the assault inside the couple’s bedroom at their home in Pétion-Ville and included accusations linking former Haitian President Michel Martelly and former Prime Minister Ariel Henry to the killing. In 2024, Haitian authorities indicted Martine Moïse on charges of complicity and criminal association, allegations her attorney called unjust and ridiculous.

US officials say 18 people have been arrested and transported from Haiti to Florida in connection with the July 2021 assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse. Moïse, 53, was shot at his private residence by a group of roughly 20 Colombian military-trained mercenaries. His security detail did not intervene, and the killing helped propel Haiti into deeper political and social turmoil. The FBI said the arrests took place across multiple locations and countries, describing them as part of an ongoing effort to bring everyone involved in the plot to justice. Federal prosecutor Jason Reding Quinones said the suspects were flown to the United States on a military aircraft to face charges in the Southern District of Florida. Thirty people have now been indicted in connection with the assassination. In May, four men were convicted in a Miami federal court on charges including conspiracy to kill or kidnap Moïse, conspiracy to provide material support, and violations of the US Neutrality Act. Prosecutors said all four were connected to CTU, a Florida-based private security company, and were attracted to the plot by the prospect of obtaining profitable contracts after Moïse was removed. They face possible life sentences. Eleven people have previously been indicted in US courts, which have jurisdiction because parts of the conspiracy were developed on American soil. Five defendants, including Colombian soldiers, Haitian political and business figures, and a Haitian American, have already received life sentences. The arrests come as Haiti remains without a president and prepares, if security permits, to hold its first presidential and legislative elections since 2016, alongside a constitutional referendum. Gangs control approximately 80% of Port-au-Prince, while kidnappings, armed robbery, and carjackings remain widespread. A UN-backed Gang Suppression Force is also far below its planned strength, with fewer than 1,000 personnel deployed by July against a target of 5,500.