Haiti extradited 18 suspects in the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse to the United States on Sunday. A U.S. military aircraft transported the men from Port-au-Prince to Florida, where they will stand trial in the Southern District of Florida.

The suspects include Joseph Félix Badio, a former Haitian Ministry of Justice employee, and 17 Colombian former soldiers accused of participating in the plot. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones, an appointee of President Donald Trump, confirmed the transfer in a social media post. He stated that the action marks the next phase in holding accountable those involved in the killing.

Thirty individuals have been indicted in the case overall. The extradition follows convictions secured in May against four men described by prosecutors as key figures in the transnational scheme. Several others have pleaded guilty and received life sentences.

The assassination occurred on July 7, 2021, when armed men stormed Moïse's residence in Port-au-Prince. Investigations revealed involvement from Haitian and Colombian nationals, with planning allegedly extending to South Florida. Haitian authorities have faced challenges in advancing prosecutions domestically amid ongoing instability.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles noted additional arrests connected to the case on Sunday. The U.S. Justice Department has emphasized its commitment to pursuing all participants, including those who financed or facilitated the attack.

This development shifts significant elements of the case to American courts after years of proceedings in Haiti. The suspects will face charges related to conspiracy and material support for the plot.