Who killed Jovenel Moise? New suspects arrested over 2021 assassination of Haitian president

An ongoing investigation regarding Haitian President Jovenel Moise's assassination has led to the arrests of four more people. 53-year-old Moise was fatally shot in his home by an armed group of people, which reportedly included foreigners in 2021.

One of the suspects, according to authorities, is the owner of a Florida-based security firm that is suspected of hiring Colombian ex-soldiers for the assassination mission. According to the Justice Department, the owner of Florida-based CTU Security, Venezuelan-American Antonio "Tony" Intriago, hired a squad of former Colombian soldiers for the operation.

Intriago has been charged with a long list of charges, including conspiracy to kill or kidnap a person outside of the US. With the recent arrests, a total of 11 suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the Jovenel Moise murder case.

According to the BBC, a separate Haitian investigation into the assassination of the President came to a standstill after three judges resigned from their posts due to security concerns. A fourth judge was dismissed. Apart from the 11 suspects arrested in the U.S., more than 40 suspects, including 18 Colombians, have been arrested in Haiti over the years and remain in custody. Three other suspects were killed immediately after the incident in 2021.

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Who are the major suspects in Jovenel Moise's death?

Former Haitian President Jovenel Moise was killed by a group of armed men in an attack in July 2021 which also left his wife critically injured. Investigations have led to the arrest of 11 people in the U.S. The suspects include big names such as Venezuelan-American Antonio "Tony" Intriago, who is the owner of Florida-based CTU Security. Intriago is accused of hiring a squad of former Colombian soldiers for the slaying.

Another company representative, Colombian citizen Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, was also arrested on similar charges. Florida-based financier Walter Veintemilla, who is accused of financing the plot to kill Jovenel Moise, reportedly plans on pleading not guilty.

Frederick Joseph Bergmann Jr. is also part of the long list of suspects and has been accused of smuggling ballistic vests. Previously, authorities had arrested seven men for their alleged roles in the death of the President, including Haitian-American dual citizens James Solages and Joseph Vincent, and pastor and businessman Christian Emmanual Sanon.

Haitian police have further accused Christian Emmanuel Sanon of having "political objectives" to replace Jovenel Moise as the president of the country. The Department of Justice claimed that the plot to replace Moise included flying him away from Haiti so that a new president could take his position in his absence. This, however, was reportedly abandoned because they did not own an aircraft.

US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe said:

"It is extremely important to bring (them) to justice. We will deliver justice in the courtroom."

Haitian ambassador Bocchit Edmond had described the 2021 attack as a "well-orchestrated commando attack" carried out by people who had claimed to be members of the US Drug Enforcement Administration.