On Sunday, September 20, 2026, in Miami, Florida, the FBI arrested Haitian businessman of Palestinian origin Samir Handal (68 years old) in his Florida residence, based on a new indictment.

The arrest of Samir Handal, a Green Card holder, in Miami where he lived with his family, coincided with another major arrest in Canada, that of Ashkard Pierre Joseph (a former contractor at the Haitian consulate in Montreal).

According to the U.S. federal indictment, Ashkard Pierre, a resident of both Canada and Haiti, "worked directly with the companies CTU and Worldwide Group, Colombian mercenaries, and other individuals, and participated in a planned coup in Haiti, including the murder or kidnapping of President Moïse." Pierre also allegedly helped conceal and facilitate the escape of Colombian mercenary Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios and former Haitian Senator John Joël Joseph after the assassination of President Moïse.

This roundup coincided exactly with the historic transfer (extradition), by U.S. military plane, of 18 other key suspects directly from Port-au-Prince to the Southern District of Florida, including Joseph Badio and 17 former Colombian soldiers who were members of the commando that assassinated President Jovenel Moïse. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-48488-haiti-flash-joseph-felix-badio-and-17-colombians-imprisoned-in-haiti-extradited-to-the-usa.html

Samir Handal is considered a suspect of major interest in this case. He had already been arrested in Turkey in 2021 before being released after an extradition request to Haiti was rejected.

Samir Handal officially appeared before the federal court in Miami. His legal status is that of a defendant in custody as part of the expanded U.S. investigation into the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The businessman faces three major federal charges. He is notably charged with conspiracy to kill or kidnap a person outside the United States and with providing material support resulting in death. If convicted by the U.S. justice system, he faces life imprisonment.

U.S. prosecutors accuse him of owning the residence that served as a safe house and meeting place for some of the conspirators prior to the assassination of the Haitian president.

Unlike other defendants, Samir Handal has chosen to hire lawyers to represent him. His lawyers stated that their client has maintained his innocence for years and fully intends to face the charges directly in court, denouncing the media spectacle surrounding his arrest by the FBI.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-48488-haiti-flash-joseph-felix-badio-and-17-colombians-imprisoned-in-haiti-extradited-to-the-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37347-haiti-flash-assassination-of-the-president-samir-handal-released-by-turkey-returns-to-the-united-states.html

SL/ HaitiLibre