Eighteen suspects linked to the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse have been extradited from Haiti to the United States to face trial.
The suspects were transported aboard a US military aircraft from Haiti to Florida on Sunday, September 20, 2026, marking a major development in the long-running investigation into the killing of the former Haitian president.
Moïse, 53, was shot dead at his private residence in Port-au-Prince on July 7, 2021. His wife, Martine Moïse, was also injured in the attack.
US authorities have alleged that the assassination plot was planned and financed partly from South Florida, where several suspects have already faced prosecution.
The US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason Reding Quiñones, said the transfer marked “the next major phase” in efforts to establish accountability for the assassination.
He said US authorities would continue following evidence concerning individuals who allegedly financed, facilitated or participated in the plot.
Among those transferred are 17 former Colombian soldiers and Joseph Badio, a former official of Haiti’s Ministry of Justice who worked with an anti-corruption unit. Badio was arrested in Haiti in October 2023 after spending more than two years on the run.
However, some of the Colombian suspects have denied involvement in an assassination plot. Their lawyers have argued that they were led to believe they were participating in a plan to remove Moïse from power rather than kill him.
The suspects have also previously alleged that they were beaten, threatened and forced to sign documents in a language they did not understand while in Haitian custody. These allegations remain part of the ongoing legal proceedings.
Haiti’s Justice Ministry said the suspects were handed over to US authorities because the country’s judicial proceedings had faced significant difficulties.
The local investigation has been repeatedly delayed by political instability, gang violence, threats against judges and the deteriorating security situation in Haiti.
US prosecutors said 30 people have so far been indicted in connection with the assassination. Four men were convicted in a US federal court in Florida in May 2026 over their alleged roles in the conspiracy, while others have previously pleaded guilty.
The extradition marks a significant new phase in the international investigation into the killing of Moïse, with the transferred suspects now expected to face the US judicial system in Florida.
