The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, Jean Morose Viliena, was sentenced to nine years in prison by a federal court in Boston for immigration fraud. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV also imposed three years of supervised release on Viliena, who is subject to deportation proceedings after serving his sentence. Viliena was convicted on March 28, 2025, of three counts of visa fraud.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley stated, “Jean Morose Viliena built a life in the United States by burying the truth about his violent past – a past marked by political persecution, bloodshed and the silencing of dissent in Haiti.” She emphasized that the sentence serves as a warning that the U.S. will not be a refuge for human rights violators.
Matthew R. Galeotti from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division commented on Viliena’s actions in Haiti, noting that his false statements to U.S. immigration authorities allowed him unlawful entry into the country and lawful permanent resident status.
Special Agent Michael J. Krol from Homeland Security Investigations highlighted their commitment to holding accountable those who commit acts of violence and fraud, irrespective of where these crimes occurred.
Viliena served as Mayor from December 2006 until at least February 2010 and was supported by Korega, a political group using armed violence in Haiti’s southwestern region. He personally led an armed group enforcing his policies through violence against political opponents.
One violent incident involved Viliena leading an attack on July 27, 2007, resulting in the murder of a witness’s brother after testimony against him. Another event occurred in April 2008 when he shut down a community radio station with forceful measures involving firearms and machetes.
On June 3, 2008, Viliena applied for an immigrant visa at the U.S. Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince by falsely declaring he had not been involved in extrajudicial killings or violence against Haitians. His application was approved based on these misrepresentations.
In March 2017, a civil lawsuit under the Torture Victim Protection Act resulted in Viliena being found liable for extrajudicial killings and torture with $11 million awarded in punitive damages.
The announcement came from several officials including U.S. Attorney Foley; DOJ Head Galeotti; HSI SAC Krol; Jennifer De La O from Customs and Border Protection; Matthew O’Brien from Diplomatic Security Service; Denis C. Riordan from Fraud Detection and National Security Division; Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan; and Alexandra Skinnion from HRSP Unit Section.
This case involved contributions from multiple agencies such as the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and various field offices alongside local police support.
