On Sunday, eighteen suspects involved in the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse were extradited to the United States. This event marked a major development in the extended legal proceedings related to the case in Haiti. The individuals will now face trial in Florida, as confirmed by Jason Reding Quiñones, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. He emphasized the importance of pursuing accountability, stating the investigation would continue to target individuals who financed, facilitated, or supported the crime.
The names of the suspects were not disclosed by Quiñones. A spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Justice did not respond to media inquiries on the day of the extradition. Among those awaiting trial in Haiti were 17 Colombian soldiers and Joseph Badio. Badio, formerly with Haiti’s Ministry of Justice, played a key role according to investigators. After evading capture for over two years, authorities arrested him in October 2023. Defense attorneys claim Badio orchestrated a plan to arrest and then assassinate Moïse. Some suspects reportedly believed they were part of a coup, not an assassination. Colombian soldiers have testified about being coerced into signing documents under duress.
Families of the Colombian suspects expressed shock at the extradition, feeling unprepared for this sudden move by the U.S. Diana Marcela Arbeláez Llano, the wife of one suspect, voiced concerns about their health, given the poor conditions in Haitian prisons, and uncertainty over their fate in the U.S. Legal processes in Haiti experienced significant delays, marred by gang violence, threats, and judicial collapse. In October 2025, Haitian officials requested help from the U.S. and Canada after a local court ordered a renewed investigation, marking the third such inquiry since the president’s death.
“We never imagined that the United States would have taken them so suddenly,” Arbeláez stated, highlighting the families’ surprise.
The U.S. continues its prosecution efforts, with multiple convictions and ongoing trials. In May, a Florida jury convicted four men, while five others pleaded guilty, receiving life sentences. Convicted individuals include Arcángel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages. They were found guilty of conspiring against Moïse and supporting the assassination plot. Christian Sanon, initially intended to replace Moïse, awaits trial. Allegedly, he was supposed to allocate contracts to CTU for infrastructure and security projects.
Authorities identified fugitives, such as Dimitri Hérard, former security chief at Haiti’s National Palace, who escaped during a prison break by gangs. Further investigations reveal various operational links to South Florida-based companies, including those managed by Ortiz and Intriago, under the CTU brand.