Five Charged in 2021 Assassination of Haitian President Face Trial in South Florida

Jury selection begins for men accused of conspiring to kill Jovenel Moïse in his home near Port-au-Prince.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in the U.S. federal trial of five men charged in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. The defendants - Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, Christian Sanon and James Solages - are accused of conspiring in South Florida to kidnap or kill Haiti's former leader, plus related charges. They face possible life sentences after pleading not guilty.

Why it matters

The assassination of President Moïse plunged Haiti into political turmoil, with a crumbling judicial system and ongoing gang violence hampering the investigation. This trial in the U.S. represents a key step in holding those responsible accountable, though many others charged in the plot remain at large.

The details

According to court documents, South Florida served as a central location for planning and financing the plot to oust Moïse and replace him with someone of the conspirators' choosing. Ortiz and Intriago were principals of Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy and Counter Terrorist Unit Security, while Veintemilla was a principal of Worldwide Capital Lending Group. The conspirators met in South Florida in April 2021 and agreed that, once in power, Sanon would award contracts to CTU for infrastructure projects, security forces and military equipment, with Worldwide Capital helping to finance the coup.

  • Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 10, 2026.
  • Moïse was assassinated on July 7, 2021.

The players

Arcangel Pretel Ortiz

One of the five men charged in the conspiracy to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

Antonio Intriago

One of the five men charged in the conspiracy to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

Walter Veintemilla

One of the five men charged in the conspiracy to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

Christian Sanon

A dual Haitian-American citizen who investigators say was initially favored by the conspirators to replace Moïse as president.

James Solages

A CTU representative in Haiti who coordinated with Sanon and others, according to officials.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on whether to allow the defendants out on bail before the trial begins.

The takeaway

This high-profile trial in the U.S. represents a significant step in seeking justice for the assassination of the Haitian president, though many challenges remain in the broader investigation due to the unstable conditions in Haiti.