--- title: "Haitian President Moïse Assassination Trials Resume in Miami" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/haitian-president-moise-assassination-trials-resume-in-miami" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/haitian-president-moise-assassination-trials-resume-in-miami" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/haitian-president-moise-assassination-trials-resume-in-miami.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/haitian-president-moise-assassination-trials-resume-in-miami" category: "Politics" published: "2026-09-28T13:45:54.834Z" source_reported: "2026-09-28T07:52:31.000Z" updated: "2026-09-28T13:45:54.834Z" trust_score: 50 critic_score: 60 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-28T13:15:09.100764+00:00" --- # Haitian President Moïse Assassination Trials Resume in Miami *More than 40 individuals charged as South Florida is identified as a planning hub for the 2021 plot.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 50 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to US prosecutors and court records, with two full reports and 13 digests. - Craft 60 of 100, higher is better. Reporting is clear and holds together, with context provided on Haiti's political situation. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. Headlines are informative and directly reflect the content of the articles. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Dozens of individuals arrested in connection with the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse are awaiting trial in Miami. - U.S. prosecutors have charged more than 40 people in relation to the killing, and 12 have been convicted, including five serving life sentences. - Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Florida pastor and dual Haitian-American citizen, faces eight charges and has pleaded not guilty. - Federal prosecutors state South Florida was a central location for planning and financing the plot to oust Moïse. Five years after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, dozens of people arrested in connection with the killing are still awaiting trial in Miami. U.S. prosecutors have charged more than 40 individuals with crimes related to the assassination, and a dozen have been convicted, including five who are serving life sentences. Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Florida pastor and dual Haitian-American citizen, faces eight charges connected to the assassination and has pleaded not guilty. Federal prosecutors state South Florida served as a central location for planning and financing the plot to oust Moïse. Moïse was killed on July 7, 2021, by approximately two dozen foreign mercenaries, mostly from Colombia, who attacked his home near Port-au-Prince. The scheme to kill Moïse involved paying mercenaries with money obtained from U.S. government programs intended to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to court records. The plan to oust Moïse began to take shape in April 2021, when Sanon met in South Florida with a former Haitian senator and several U.S. businessmen. The group agreed that Sanon would award contracts to Florida-based Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy and Counter Terrorist Unit Security, known as CTU, for infrastructure projects, security forces, and military equipment. Martine Moïse, the former first lady, described the attack while testifying earlier this year at the trial of four men convicted in the conspiracy. She stated she awoke to gunfire around 1 a.m. and heard her husband say, “Honey, we are dead.” She recounted hearing men speaking Spanish before her husband was shot multiple times. She later learned that the security officers assigned to protect their home had been paid to leave their posts. ## Disagreements in reporting The reports agree that dozens of people arrested in connection with the assassination are awaiting trial in Miami, that more than 40 people have been charged by U.S. prosecutors, and that 12 have been convicted, including five serving life sentences. They also agree that Christian Emmanuel Sanon faces eight charges and has pleaded not guilty, and that federal prosecutors identify South Florida as a central location for planning and financing the plot. The reports also agree that Moïse was killed on July 7, 2021, by about two dozen foreign mercenaries, mostly from Colombia, and that the scheme involved paying mercenaries with money from U.S. COVID-19 relief programs. However, the Washington Top News report states that Wendelle Coq Thélot, a former Haitian Superior Court judge who was backed by conspirators after they realized Sanon lacked qualifications, died in January 2025 while still a fugitive. None of the other reports mention Wendelle Coq Thélot or her death. ## What the coverage left out No right-rated outlet ran this story. The Washington Top News report mentioned that Wendelle Coq Thélot, a former Haitian Superior Court judge, died in January 2025 while still a fugitive. None of the left- or centre-rated reports mentioned her or her death. ## Who covered it Shares of the 16 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 44% (7) - Centre: 50% (8) - Right: 6% (1) 2 of 18 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-28T13:15:09.100764+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-28T14:00:42.652Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Left-rated reports led on the resumption of trials in Miami for those connected to the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. These reports detailed the number of people charged by U.S. prosecutors, the number convicted, and the sentences handed down, including five life sentences. They identified Christian Emmanuel Sanon as a key figure facing eight charges and noted his not guilty plea. The planning and financing of the plot in South Florida were also highlighted. The reports mentioned the date of the assassination, the involvement of approximately two dozen foreign mercenaries, mostly from Colombia, and the use of money from U.S. COVID-19 relief programs to pay them. The accounts included details of Martine Moïse's testimony about the attack and her husband's final words. The reports also touched on the broader context of Haiti's political instability and gang violence, and the difficulties faced by investigations in Haiti. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports focused on the ongoing trials in Miami related to the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. They stated that dozens of people arrested in connection with the killing are awaiting trial. The reports noted that U.S. prosecutors have charged more than 40 people and that a dozen have been convicted, with five receiving life sentences. Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Florida pastor and dual Haitian-American citizen, was identified as facing eight charges and having pleaded not guilty. The role of South Florida as a central location for planning and financing the plot was also mentioned. The reports confirmed the date of Moïse's death, the involvement of about two dozen foreign mercenaries, primarily from Colombia, and the use of funds from U.S. COVID-19 business relief programs to pay them. ### Right No separate framing summary. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 8 - unknown: 2 - veryHigh: 7 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/09/28/florida-pastor-accused-of-role-in-haitian-presidents-assassination-goes-on-trial) — Florida pastor accused of role in Haitian president’s assassination goes on trial - [The Straits Times](https://straitstimes.com/world/florida-pastor-accused-of-role-in-haitian-presidents-assassination-goes-on-trial) — Florida pastor accused of role in Haitian president's assassination goes on trial - [Chronicle Online](https://chronicleonline.com/news/national/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami/article_d866bb7b-2981-5b3b-92af-0c822586b21f.html) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [NBC Miami](https://nbcmiami.com/news/local/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami/3865084) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [PressNewsAgency](https://pressnewsagency.org/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti’s president resume in Miami - [My Mother Lode](https://mymotherlode.com/news/national/11175044/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami.html) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti’s president resume in Miami - [Boston Globe](https://bostonglobe.com/2026/09/28/world/trials-over-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti’s president resume in Miami - The Boston Globe - [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/news/2026/09/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti’s president resume in Miami – WTOP News - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/09/27/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haiti-s-president-resume-in-miami/article_e11686f4-9360-51bb-bce7-634614708e93.html) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti’s president resume in Miami - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/jovenel-moise-haiti-miami-caribbean-american-b3057310.html) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/jovenel-moise-haiti-miami-caribbean-american-b3057310.html) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [Ottumwa Courier](https://ottumwacourier.com/news/national_news/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami/article_392450a4-6362-5cae-99e4-255ab042f064.html) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [Mid Florida Newspapers](https://midfloridanewspapers.com/ap/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami/article_54eb48b0-50a5-5551-8747-a66004262b11.html) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [Daily News-Record](https://dnronline.com/associated_press/national/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami/article_09611520-84bd-5322-b71e-577cdff9bfde.html) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [pmg-ky3.com](https://pmg-ky3.com/ap/ap_news/what-to-know-as-trials-over-the-assassination-of-haitis-president-resume-in-miami/article_097f269d-49ab-5a58-8cd2-fbc9a9b414a8.html) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [abc News](https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/trials-assassination-haitis-president-resume-miami-136813318) — What to know as trials over the assassination of Haiti's president resume in Miami - [WSVN](https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/ex-haitian-official-17-others-appear-in-us-court-involving-2021-plot-to-kill-haitian-president) — Ex-Haitian official, 17 others appear in US court involving 2021 plot to kill Haitian president - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports ## Questions **How many people have been charged in connection with President Moïse's assassination?** U.S. prosecutors have charged more than 40 people in relation to the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Dozens of individuals arrested in connection with the killing are currently awaiting trial in Miami. **What role did South Florida play in the assassination plot?** Federal prosecutors have stated that South Florida served as a central location for planning and financing the plot to oust President Moïse. Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Florida pastor, is among those charged. **How was the plot financed?** The scheme to kill President Moïse involved paying mercenaries with money obtained from U.S. government programs that were intended to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to court records. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/haitian-president-moise-assassination-trials-resume-in-miami. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Haitian President Moïse Assassination Trials Resume in Miami", https://mediabias.news/politics/haitian-president-moise-assassination-trials-resume-in-miami