assassination
HipHopWired Featured Video
Joseph Vincent, a former informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration, has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a plot to assassinate President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti. Vincent, who claims both Haitian and American citizenship, was the first citizen of the United States to plead guilty in the matter.
The Miami Herald reports that Joseph Vincent, a native of South Florida, was the fourth of 11 defendants charged in the federal case that is unfolding in Miami, with Vincent, 58, admitting to a role in the plot to assassinate Moïse. Moïse was killed after his residence was ambushed by over two dozen mercenaries, some of whom were reported to be from Colombia. According to court findings, 26 of 28 gunmen were reportedly Colombian with two suspects hailing from the United States.
Vincent told the court that he met with a group of individuals in Haiti on the night before President Moïse’s assassination, which occurred on July 7, 2021, in the wee hours of the morning. Vincent, who is entering a plea deal, shared that he wore a U.S. State Department pin on his outfit to appear as an important figure to his Haitian co-conspirators according to Vincent’s statements.
Adding to this, Vincent said he was part of a plan to ignite protests across Haiti against Moïse and use the disturbance as a cover ploy to kidnap the president. Vincent was not part of the gunmen group but did admit to riding with other co-conspirators to Moïse’s residence during the ambush by the mercenaries.
Joseph Vincent is pleading guilty to conspiring to provide material support in the assassination, providing that support, and conspiring to kill or kidnap a person outside the United States. His sentencing hearing takes place on February 9, 2024, and he faces up to life in prison.
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: VALERIE BAERISWYL / Getty
The federal government announced that they had detained four men from Florida in for their alleged roles in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
According to reports, four more men in Florida were arrested by local authorities working under the direction of the Department of Justice for their roles in the assassination of the Haitian national leader which took place on 2021. The arrests took place on Tuesday (Feb. 14th). These arrests bring the number of those involved up to 11.
“Today, individuals who we allege participated in the planning, financing, and orchestration of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse will face justice in an American courtroom,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. Former Haitian Prime Minister Claude Joseph shared the news on Twitter, writing “Justice must prevail.”
Details from the filed court documents show that Antonio “Tony” Intriago, owner of CTU Security in Miami, Florida was charged with conspiracy to kill or kidnap a person outside the U.S. in addition to other offenses. Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, the company’s representative was also detained. Walter Veintemilla, a financier from the state has been accused of financing the operation. A fourth man, Frederick Joseph Bergmann Jr, was detained on suspicion of smuggling.
The documents state that the four were part of a plot originally designed to kidnap Moïse and supplant him with a new leader, Christian Emmanuel Sanon. Sanon is one of three Haitian-Americans who have been previously arrested. The plot turned from a coup to an assassination when it was found that Sanon wasn’t qualified to take over, with other suspects including James Solages who reportedly shouted that the CIA was involved to back down Moïse’s security detail at his private home during the attack.
On the Haitian side, proceedings have stalled, leaving the 18 detained Colombian mercenaries and 40 other suspects in a Port-au-Prince prison. Three judges have stepped down for fear of being assassinated themselves, while a fourth was dismissed outright. Martine Moïse, the president’s widow called for a special United Nations investigation last month.
-
Pages