Eighteen suspects involved in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise appeared in a federal court in Miami on Monday, following their extradition from Haiti. The group includes Joseph Felix Badio, a former Haitian Ministry of Justice official, and 17 others described as Colombian mercenaries. These individuals are part of a broader indictment encompassing 30 people charged in the plot to kill Moise, who was fatally shot at his private residence near Port-au-Prince on July 7, 2021.
Moise, aged 53 at the time, was attacked by approximately two dozen military-trained mercenaries, primarily from Colombia. His security detail reportedly did not intervene during the assault, which left Moise shot multiple times. His wife, Martine Moise, was injured in the attack.
U.S. authorities allege the assassination was motivated by conspirators seeking to benefit financially from illicit business opportunities and contracts. According to the indictment, funding for the mercenaries included money diverted from U.S. government programs initially established to assist businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors have indicated that South Florida was a key locus for planning and financing the operation to remove Moise and install a replacement aligned with the conspirators’ interests.
Joseph Badio, who once served in Haiti’s anti-corruption unit before being dismissed weeks prior to the assassination due to alleged ethics violations, is charged with conspiracy and is identified as a key figure in the plot. U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette Reid presided over brief hearings with the defendants, appointing counsel and scheduling follow-up court dates.
Haiti has struggled to conduct its own investigations into the killing due to political instability and security challenges. Previous inquiries have been hindered by judges resigning amid threats to their safety and gang control over critical areas, including the downtown Port-au-Prince courthouse. In 2025, Haitian justice officials sought assistance from the U.S. and Canada to reopen the investigation.
The legal proceedings in the United States are ongoing. Since the initial indictments, at least nine individuals have been convicted either at trial or through guilty pleas. Earlier in 2026, four men linked to a Florida-based private security firm, CTU, were convicted on charges including conspiracy to kill or kidnap Moise and violating the U.S. Neutrality Act. Prosecutors stated these men were drawn in by the prospect of obtaining lucrative contracts following Moise’s removal. These convictions carry the possibility of life imprisonment.
The aftermath of Moise’s assassination has plunged Haiti into further turmoil. The country remains without a president nearly five years after his death and faces escalating gang violence. Over 3,000 people were reportedly killed by June of this year, and approximately 1.5 million have been displaced. Gangs currently control about 80% of Port-au-Prince, leading to widespread kidnappings, armed robberies, and carjackings.
Haiti is scheduled to hold long-delayed presidential and legislative elections, along with a constitutional referendum, on December 13, pending the security situation. Meanwhile, a United Nations-supported international force aimed at bolstering local law enforcement against gangs is not expected to reach full staffing by its planned October deadline.
Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged the transfer of its citizens among the defendants to the U.S. but stated that it played no role in the extradition process, which falls under the jurisdiction of the countries involved.
U.S. authorities have emphasized their ongoing commitment to prosecuting all individuals implicated in the assassination plot, reflecting the complex international dimensions of the case.