The Florida Agriculture commissioner has launched an investigation into Antonio Emmanuel Intriago Valera, the owner of a Miami-based security firm linked to the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse, Politico is reporting.
Valera, also known as Tony Intriago, is the owner of CTU, a private security company. According to Politico, the agriculture commissioner’s office is also probing the firm, as well.
The state agency regulates a variety of issues in Florida, including private security companies.
The Associated Press reported Intriago had hired more than 20 former soldiers from Colombia for a job in Haiti. The Colombians have been killed or captured in the aftermath of the July 7 killing of Moïse, according to AP.
Three Colombians were killed and 18 are behind bars in Haiti, Colombia’s national police chief, Gen. Jorge Luis Vargas, said.
Some family members claim the men understood their mission was to provide security for VIPs.
Vargas said that CTU security used its company credit card to buy 19 plane tickets from Bogota to Santo Domingo for the Colombian suspects.
And AP reported that one of the Colombians who was killed, Duberney Capador, earlier had photographed himself wearing a CTU security shirt
Léon Charles, head of the Haiti’s National Police, accused Intriago of traveling to Haiti numerous times as part of the assassination plot and of signing a contract while there, the wire service said. However, Charles provided no details and offered no evidence.
Nelson Romero Velasquez, an attorney advising 16 families of the Colombians, said that the men had all served in the Colombian military’s elite special forces. He claimed they could operate without being detected, if they had desired.
Velasquez maintained their behavior demonstrated they did not go to Haiti to assassinate the president.
Franco Ripple, a spokesperson for Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, told Politico that since 2018, Intriago has had a license to work as a security officer in Florida. He was granted a firm license in October.
Politico’s attempts to reach Intriago for comment were unsuccessful.
"Intriago’s whereabouts are currently unknown," Ripple said. "Should he be arrested, our department will take immediate action by suspending all licenses granted to him. Should other individuals licensed by FDACS and connected to this matter be arrested, we will also immediately suspend those licenses, as well."
And Ripple said the agricultural commissioner has no records of CTU. The state agency could issue fine or impose other penalties if the company is found to have provided "unlicensed security guard services in Florida."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.