Haitian national Guy Philippe, 48, is back in U.S. custody, facing federal charges tied to a years-long international cocaine smuggling and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment, unsealed this morning in the Southern District of Florida, accuses Philippe of orchestrating the importation of more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States between 1997 and 2001, using covert financial channels to launder the profits.
Philippe, a former Haitian police official and political figure, was charged with one count of conspiracy to import narcotics, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one substantive count of engaging in monetary transactions from unlawful activity. At an initial hearing this afternoon, U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry L. Garber ordered him held without bond. His arraignment is set for January 13, 2017.
The indictment alleges that from June 1999 through April 2003, Philippe worked with co-conspirators to hide the origins of drug money, using U.S. financial institutions to move illicit funds. In 2000, he reportedly funneled a $112,000 check through a bank—a transaction that crossed state and international lines and was tied directly to the narcotics enterprise.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, then-U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, joined officials from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, the DEA, and IRS-Criminal Investigation in announcing the charges. The case reflects a long-running investigation into transnational networks exploiting Caribbean routes for drug trafficking and financial concealment.
Key support came from the Haitian government, including the Ministry of Justice, Haitian National Police, and La Brigade de Lutte contre le Trafic de Stupéfiants (BLTS), alongside U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force and Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution is being led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lynn M. Kirkpatrick and Andy R. Camacho, with Senior Trial Counsel Mark A. Irish from the DOJ’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section.
This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative, aimed at dismantling high-level drug and financial crime networks. Court documents are available via the Southern District of Florida’s public docket at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or through PACER. Philippe remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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