US takes custody of 18 suspects in 2021 assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse

Transfer of suspects to Florida

A US military aircraft transported 18 suspects in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse from Port-au-Prince to Florida on 20 September 2026. The extradited group included 17 former Colombian soldiers and Joseph Félix Badio, a former official in the anti-corruption unit of Haiti's Justice Ministry. Haitian investigators previously identified Badio as the operational architect of the plot, though Badio has denied the allegations, stating that authorities made him a scapegoat. Federal prosecutor Jason Reding Quiñones announced that 30 individuals have now been indicted in connection with the assassination conspiracy. FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles confirmed that federal agents executed coordinated arrests across multiple domestic and international locations on Sunday as part of the broader operation.

“Today marks the next major phase in our pursuit of accountability for the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.”

Federal convictions and plot details

US federal courts established legal jurisdiction in South Florida because prosecutors determined that key planning sessions, weapons acquisitions, and financing took place on American soil. Moïse was shot dead at age 53 inside his private bedroom in the Pelerin 5 neighbourhood on 7 July 2021, while his wife, Martine Moïse, sustained serious bullet wounds. Presidential security personnel stationed at the residence did not intervene during the assault. In May 2026, a federal jury in Miami convicted four defendants linked to CTU Federal Academy, a Florida-based private security company. Those four men face potential life sentences for conspiracy to kill or kidnap, conspiracy to provide material support, and violations of the US Neutrality Act. Five other conspirators had previously received life sentences in US federal courts, including two retired Colombian soldiers, a former Haitian senator, and a Haitian American businessman.

Judicial breakdown and domestic reaction

Haitian police initially detained roughly 40 suspects after the killing, including 20 Colombian nationals, but local judicial proceedings stalled due to political interference and threats against presiding judges. Haiti's Ministry of Justice announced that the government transferred the 18 detainees after determining that domestic legal efforts had encountered insurmountable obstacles, contrasting with progress made by US federal prosecutors.

“The government reaffirms its determination to ensure that justice is served for President Jovenel Moïse, his family, and the Haitian people.”

The extradition drew sharp opposition from human rights observers in Port-au-Prince. Pierre Espérance, executive director of the National Human Rights Defense Network, described the handover as a disgrace for the domestic legal system and called for a systemic judicial overhaul so Haitian courts can manage complex prosecutions.

Security crisis and election preparations

The assassination created an institutional void in Haiti, leaving the country without an elected president or sitting parliament for several years. Armed gangs expanded their control across Port-au-Prince, taking over between 80% and 90% of the capital. The United Nations documented at least 8,100 gang-related killings during 2025 and recorded that violence displaced approximately 1.5 million people nationwide by mid-2026. Food insecurity affects nearly half of the country's 11 million residents as gangs disrupt supply routes. Haitian transitional authorities have set presidential and legislative elections, along with a constitutional referendum, for 13 December 2026, aiming to conduct the first nationwide balloting since 2016.