Haitian businessman Dimitri Vorbe was taken into custody at his U.S. residence on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, by agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a branch of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
A source close to the Vorbe family told Le Nouvelliste: “They came to his house and took him away. There are no further details at this time.”
Vorbe’s presence in the United States was already known. His passport had been held by U.S. authorities since his initial arrest in August 2020. He is currently being held at the Krome detention center in Florida. A review of Florida court records has not yet revealed any formal charges, and an ICE spokesperson declined to comment immediately on the matter, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Vorbe, a senior executive at the energy company Sogener and a vocal opponent of former Haitian president Jovenel Moïse, had sought refuge in the United States to avoid prosecution in Haiti. Since his 2020 arrest, his case has remained in the hands of U.S. immigration authorities. A source confirmed that “he has a court date soon.”
Although the exact reasons for this latest detention have not been disclosed, the development has already sent shockwaves through Haiti’s political and business circles. For years, Vorbe has been at the center of heated controversies over contracts between Sogener and the Haitian state.
The arrest comes amid a broader U.S. strategy of sanctioning Haitian political and business figures accused of corruption and of maintaining ties with armed gangs. It follows the detention of businessman Réginald Boulos and coincides with a wave of visa cancellations and rumors of further sanctions targeting political leaders and private-sector elites.
Recently sanctioned figures include former lawmakers Arnel Bélizaire and Antonio Chéramy, known as Don Kato, a former Haitian senator and a close ally of Vorbe.
The U.S. chargé d’affaires in Haiti, Henry Wooster, issued a stark warning in recent weeks: “We have revoked U.S. residency for individuals who have worked with Haitian gang leaders or supported their criminal activities. If you support violent organizations, you will not be allowed to stay in the U.S. The era of impunity is over.”
On Monday, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau reinforced that message, telling AP: “The U.S. government will remain relentless in pursuing those who support terrorist gangs — through indictments, arrests, sanctions (…) and other immigration restrictions.”
Vorbe’s arrest marks another clear signal from Washington of its determination to confront figures it sees as contributing to Haiti’s instability. The next steps in the judicial process — and whether formal charges will be filed against him — are being closely watched both in Haiti and in the diaspora.
https://ctninfo.com/?p=37064&preview=true
https://www.facebook.com/CaribbeanNewsMedia
