Ex-Haitian mayor convicted of US visa fraud after covering up political killings

PORT-AU-PRINCE — A jury in Boston, Massachusetts, convicted Jean Morose Viliena, the former mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, on Friday, March 28, of U.S. immigration fraud for lying about his past involvement in political violence. Prosecutors successfully argued that Viliena fraudulently obtained a U.S. green card by falsely claiming on his visa application that he had never participated in extrajudicial killings, torture or other forms of violence in Haiti.

Viliena was the community’s mayor from 2006 to 2010. He led a violent municipal team and armed supporters, employing them to enforce his policies through intimidation and brutality. Les Irois is a commune located in Haiti’s Grande-Anse Department, roughly 200 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital.  

“The Department of Justice will not tolerate human rights violators entering and moving illegally within our communities,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. 

“We are grateful to the courageous victims and witnesses who helped law enforcement and prosecutors hold Viliena accountable for his crimes,” he added.

U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts called Viliena’s crimes “appalling” and emphasized that the U.S. will not be a safe haven for perpetrators of political violence.

The ex-Haitian mayor’s immigration fraud conviction carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A federal judge will determine his final sentence on June 20. 

The prosecution—led by Alexandra Skinnion of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions (HRSP) Section of the Criminal Division, alongside Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts, with assistance from Christopher Hayden, an HRSP analyst—continues a federal complaint filed in March 2017 by the Center for Justice & Accountability in Massachusetts against the former mayor, on behalf of three Haitian nationals who accuse him of violent persecution.

The Homeland Security Investigations unit (HSI) in Boston investigated the case in coordination with the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC).

Viliena, now living in Malden, north of Boston, faces more punitive damages for torture, murder and arson. The 2017 complaint sought justice and damages for the family of a Haitian man killed and two others severely injured by Viliena’s alleged criminal acts.

Past human rights abuses and a 2023 conviction

Viliena’s immigration fraud conviction follows a March 2023 verdict in which a Boston jury found him responsible for human rights violations in Haiti. The jury ruled he was liable for the 2007 murder of young Haitian man Eclesiaste Boniface, as well as torture and attempted murder against two other victims, Juders Ysemé and Nissage Martyr. The plaintiffs, represented by the Center for Justice & Accountability (CJA), were awarded $15.5 million in damages.

“I dedicated over 15 years to holding Mayor Viliena accountable for ordering the murder of my brother,” said David Boniface, brother of Eclesiaste Boniface, at the time. “This verdict brings justice to my family and the victims of Viliena’s terror campaign.”

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Viliena was supported by Korega, a political group that maintained control over southwestern Haiti through armed violence. Witnesses testified that he oversaw a municipal militia that carried out killings, beatings and intimidation.

One of the first documented incidents occurred on July 27, 2007, when Viliena and his armed men attacked a resident’s home. Witnesses said he personally ordered the killing of Eclesiaste Boniface, smashing his skull with a rock after shooting him.

The second major attack occurred in April 2008, after community members launched a local radio station. Witnesses testified that Viliena opposed the station’s existence and led an armed group to shut it down.

• One victim was severely beaten and shot in the leg, later requiring an amputation.
• Another victim who tried to flee was dragged through the station and shot in the face, leaving him blind in one eye. Medical reports confirm he still has shotgun pellets embedded in his body.

From being guilty of murder and political violence to U.S. immigrant visa fraud

Viliena lied when he applied for a U.S. immigrant visa on June 3, 2008, at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. The application specifically asked if he had ever participated in extrajudicial killings or political violence. He falsely answered “no” and swore under oath that his statements were truthful. 

Based on this false declaration, the U.S. granted him a visa the next day. The former Les Irois mayor entered the United States on July 14, 2008, as a lawful permanent resident. He later used his fraudulently obtained green card to live in Massachusetts.

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