Haitian businessman Reginald Boulos detained by US immigration authorities amid legal scrutiny

Haitian businessman and former presidential hopeful Reginald Boulos was arrested Friday, July 18, by U.S. immigration authorities, a source familiar with his family confirmed to The Haitian Times. Boulos is reportedly being held in a Miami detention center pending possible deportation, with a removal deadline expiring Dec. 2, 2025.

The unnamed source said Boulos spent Friday night in custody alongside other undocumented individuals.

Boulos, born in the United States, renounced his American citizenship several years ago in order to comply with Haiti’s constitutional requirements for presidential candidates. That decision may have complicated his legal standing in the U.S.

In 2021, documents filed under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act show Boulos hired lobbying firms to advocate for his political platform and to help reinstate his U.S. visa. The firms, based in Denver, were paid $10,000 a month and tasked with mobilizing support among the 1.6 million Haitian Americans in the U.S. diaspora.

The following year, Haiti’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) referred Boulos for prosecution over alleged misuse of loans from the country’s social security office, best known as ONA. While no formal charges were filed, the case reflected broader concerns about corruption within Haiti’s political and business elite.

Although no official charges have been announced, the source confirmed that Boulos faces serious allegations, including funding criminal gangs, suspected involvement in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, large-scale corruption, money laundering and criminal conspiracy.

The source also told The Haitian Times that these accusations come from a thorough investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), highlighting his central role in a criminal network. Efforts by the Haitian businessman’s lawyer in Florida to secure his release on bail have so far been unsuccessful, emphasizing the danger he poses.

The Boulos family has not issued a statement.

Separately, Allan Zuraik, owner and CEO of Safari Motors S.A. — a Jeep and Porsche dealership in Port-au-Prince, Haiti — was also reportedly arrested Friday in Florida.

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