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Miami Security Firm Faces Questions In Haiti Assassination

Published

4 years ago

July 15, 2021

Editor

For the owner of a small private security company with a history of avoiding paying debts and declaring bankruptcy, it looked like a good opportunity: Find people with military experience for a job in Haiti.

Antonio “Tony” Intriago, owner of Miami-based CTU Security, seems to have jumped at the chance, hiring more than 20 former soldiers from Colombia for the mission.

Now the Colombians have been killed or captured in the aftermath of the July 7 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, and Intriago’s business faces questions about its role in the killing.

On Wednesday evening, 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, but provided no other details and offered no evidence.

“The investigation is very advanced,” Charles said.

A Miami security professional believes Intriago was too eager to take the job and did not push to learn details, leaving his contractors in the lurch.

Some of their family members back in Colombia have said the men understood the mission was to provide protection for VIPs.

Three Colombians were killed and 18 are behind bars in Haiti, Colombia’s national police chief, Gen. Jorge Luis Vargas, told reporters in Bogota. Colombian diplomats in Haiti have not had access to them.

Vargas has said that CTU Security used its company credit card to buy 19 plane tickets from Bogota to Santo Domingo for the Colombian suspects allegedly involved in the killing. One of the Colombians who was killed, Duberney Capador, photographed himself wearing a black CTU Security polo shirt.

Nelson Romero Velasquez, an ex-soldier and attorney who is advising 16 families of the Colombians held in Haiti, said Wednesday that the men had all served in the Colombian military’s elite special forces and could operate without being detected, if they had desired. He said their behavior made it clear they did not go to Haiti to assassinate the president.

“They have the ability to be like shadows,” Romero Velasquez said.

The predawn attack took place at the president’s private home. He was shot to death and his wife wounded. It’s not clear who pulled the trigger. The latest suspects identified in the sweeping investigation included a former Haitian senator, a fired government official and an informant for the U.S. government.

Miami has become a focus of the probe. The city has long been a nest of intrigue, from being a CIA recruitment center for the failed Bay of Pigs operation to overthrow Cuban dictator Fidel Castro to being a key shipment point for Colombian cocaine in the 1980s. Its palm-fringed shores have also been a place of exile for people from Latin American and Caribbean countries when political winds blew against them at home, and where some plotted their returns.

Homeland Security Investigations, a U.S. agency responsible for investigating crimes that cross international borders, is also investigating the assassination, said a Department of Homeland Security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about the case. He declined to provide details.

The FBI says it is “providing investigative assistance” to Haitian authorities.

Intriago, who immigrated from Venezuela over a decade ago and participated in activities in Miami opposing the leftist regime in his homeland, did not respond to multiple requests for an interview.

He likes to be around powerful people and has posted photos on social media showing himself with them, including Colombian President Ivan Duque.

Duque’s office on Monday disavowed any knowledge of Intriago, saying Duque was in Miami while campaigning for the presidency in February 2018. He posed for photographs with some of those in attendance, but Duque did not have any meeting or any ties with Intriago, the Colombian president’s office said.

Florida state records show Intriago’s company has changed names in the past dozen years: CTU Security to CS Security Solutions to Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy LLC.

CTU lists two Miami addresses on its website. One is a shuttered warehouse with no signage. The other is a small office suite under a different name. A receptionist said the CTU owner stops by once a week to collect mail.

The company website says it offers “first-class personalized products and services to law enforcement and military units, as well as industrial customers.”

But it ducked paying some of those wholesale companies for their products. Florida records show Intriago’s company was ordered by a court to pay a $64,791 debt in 2018 to a weapons and tactical gear supply company, RSR Group. Propper, a military apparel manufacturer, also sued for nonpayment.

Alexis Ortiz, a writer who worked with Intriago organizing meetings of expatriate Venezuelans in the United States, described him as a “very active, skilled collaborator.”

“He seemed nice,” Ortiz said.

Richard Noriega, who runs International Security Consulting in Miami, said he does not know Intriago personally but has been observing the developing situation. Noriega, who is also originally from Venezuela, believes Intriago was lured by the prospect of fast money and did not perform due diligence.

Putting himself in Intriago’s shoes, Noriega said: “I’m coming out of a complicated situation — of work, of income, of money. An opportunity arises. I don’t want to lose it.”

Normally, a security company would seek all the details of an operation, to determine how many people to use and what level of insurance they would need. A priority would be to plan an escape route in case things go awry, he said.

“The first thing we (security professionals) have to take into account is the evacuation. Where will they exit? That’s the first thing I do,” Noriega said.

But apparently that planning never happened, perhaps because the Colombians, or at least some of them, thought their mission was benign.

He said it does not seem logical that if the highly trained Colombians were there to kill the president, that they would not have had an escape route. Instead they were caught, some hiding in bushes, by the local population and police.

“It is very murky,” Noriega said.

(AP)

News

DANGER: Six Incurable Diseases You Should Know — And Their Causes

Published

1 hour ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

Diseases are medical conditions that affect the body and disrupt its normal functions. Although healthcare professionals and researchers have made significant progress in finding cures for many diseases, there are still several illnesses without a permanent cure.

While treatment may help manage symptoms or prolong life, the diseases themselves remain incurable.

In this article, Tribune Online takes a look at six incurable diseases you should know.

HIV/AIDS

Probably the most well-known disease on the list, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks and weakens the immune system, which can develop into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). At this stage, the immune system becomes too weak to fight infections. Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) helps patients live long and healthy lives, there is still no permanent cure for HIV.

Causes

HIV is primarily contracted through specific bodily fluids: blood, semen, vaginal fluids, anal mucus, and breast milk. The most common ways HIV is spread are through unprotected vaginal or anal sex and sharing needles or syringes. Mother-to-child transmission can occur during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.

Cancer

Cancer is a disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells, affecting organs such as the lungs, breasts, and prostate. Treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can manage or remove some cancers, but there is no universal cure.

According to Healthline, there is a difference between cure and remission when it comes to cancer. A cure means all traces of cancer are eliminated and will not return, while remission refers to a state where few to no cancer cells remain. Remission may be complete, with no detectable signs of cancer, often within the first five years after treatment, or partial, where the cancer has shrunk but is still present. Even in complete remission, hidden cancer cells can remain and cause the disease to return.

Causes

Cancer, unlike HIV, is not a contagious disease. Instead, it arises from genetic mutations within cells, which can be inherited, develop over time, or be caused by environmental factors like radiation and chemicals. These mutations cause cells to grow and divide uncontrollably.

Diabetes

Another incurable disease is diabetes. It is a chronic condition where the body cannot properly control blood sugar levels.

While there are many types of diabetes, the major ones are Type 1 and Type 2. In Type 1 diabetes, the body produces little or no insulin, while in Type 2 diabetes, the body cannot use insulin effectively. Although medications, insulin injections, and lifestyle changes help manage the disease, there is no cure. Over time, diabetes can lead to complications such as kidney failure and heart disease.

Causes

Diabetes is also not contagious. Type 1 diabetes is mainly due to genetics and environmental factors that trigger the immune system to attack insulin-producing cells in the pancreas while Type 2 diabetes on the other hand is caused by a combination of factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and insulin resistance

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking abilities. It is the leading cause of dementia among older adults. The disease worsens over time and makes it difficult for patients to perform daily activities. Current treatments can only slow down symptoms or improve quality of life, but they cannot stop the disease or reverse the damage.

Causes

Alzheimer’s develops in the brain when abnormal protein deposits build up, damaging nerve cells and affecting memory. Age, genetics, and family history are the strongest risk factors, while lifestyle factors such as poor cardiovascular health can also contribute to the development of this incurable disease.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Not only is this disease incurable, but it also does not have a known cause, according to Professor of Neurology Mayowa Owolabi. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the nerve cells controlling voluntary muscles. Over time, the nerves that send signals from the brain to the muscles weaken and die, causing patients to lose the ability to move, speak, eat, and eventually breathe.

Causes

ALS is not a disease that spreads from person to person. The exact cause is unknown, but research suggests it results from a mix of genetic and environmental factors. In some cases, it runs in families, while in others, it occurs randomly.

Parkinson’s Disease

This is another disease scientists have yet to find a cure for. It is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that mainly affects movement. Parkinson’s disease develops gradually and is marked by tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.

The condition occurs when nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine become damaged or die. While medications and therapies can help control the symptoms, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, and symptoms worsen over time.

Causes

Like some other incurable diseases, Parkinson’s does not spread like an infection. It develops when nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine become damaged or die. While the exact cause is not fully understood, Mayo Clinic notes that factors such as genes and environmental toxins may play a role in the development of the disease.
(TRIBUNE ONLINE)

News

Police Urge Bauchi Residents To Remain Calm Amidst Soldier’s Death In Bauchi

Published

14 hours ago

August 29, 2025

Editor

The Police in Bauchi state has called on all the residents of the state to remain calm after a soldier was shot dead by a police officer in the state.

CSP Ahmed Wakil, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) made the call on behalf of the Commissioner of Police in the state, Sani Omolori-Aliyu.

According to him, Inter-agency security forces have initiated a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident which led to the death of the soldier.

The PPRO recalled how a blogger narrated the incident that a member of the Nigerian Army attached to 33 Artillery Brigade was fatally shot while attempting to intercept a truck suspected of transporting solid minerals from an illegal mining site in Futuk, Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state by a mobile police Inspector on illegal duty.

News

How Becoming Bank Manager At 27 Changed My Life, Tony Elumelu Urges Trust In Africa’s Youths

Published

15 hours ago

August 29, 2025

Editor

Prominent African businessman and philanthropist, Tony Elumelu, has reflected on the defining moment of his early career when he was appointed a bank branch manager at just 27 years old.

In a post shared on his LinkedIn page on Tuesday, Elumelu recounted how his appointment at AllStates Trust Bank changed the trajectory of his life and shaped his passion for empowering young people.

“When I was 27, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime: I became a branch manager at AllStates Trust Bank, a young bank in Nigeria.

“Banking was beginning to change the country, it was the sector to be in, ripe for transformation, ready for disruption, for democratisation.

“At that time, few believed a 27-year-old could successfully lead a bank branch. But that opportunity changed the entire course of my life.

“It gave me confidence. It gave me a platform. Most importantly, it gave me perspective,” he wrote.

Elumelu, who is the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and chairs Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa, noted that his journey began not with financial capital but with trust.

His post continued, “That’s why today, I am passionate about giving young people the same chance I was given. Because I know what’s possible when someone believes in you early.

“This belief is at the heart of everything we do at The Tony Elumelu Foundation. It’s why we invest in young African entrepreneurs – because someone once invested in me.

“My journey didn’t begin with capital. It began with trust. Let’s keep believing in Africa’s youth. They are ready to lead, grow and transform our continent.”

In a follow-up post on X on Friday, the business leader further highlighted three lessons from his experience as a young bank manager.

“Shared recently on my LinkedIn page how I became a bank manager at just 27. I got a lot of questions. One stood out: How could someone so young handle such responsibility?

“Many doubted a young man could lead a bank branch. That chance changed the entire course of my life,” he wrote.

Outlining the lessons from his journey, Elumelu wrote, “Lesson 1: Age is not a barrier. If you can execute, are hungry to learn, and committed to results — you can lead at any age. Leadership is about clarity of vision and that discipline to execute.

“Lesson 2: The most powerful capital is trust. My journey didn’t start with money — it started with trust. Trust was the seed that propelled everything else. Give young people trust, and they will surprise you. I was trusted, I repaid that trust.”

In the third lesson, Elumelu explained why perspective matters in leadership.

He wrote, “Leadership is not about doing everything yourself. It is about empowering, setting direction, and providing clarity. The sooner you learn this, the faster you grow.

“That’s why today, I am passionate about giving young people the same chance I was given. Cascading luck. Catalysing opportunity.”

Elumelu said these principles continue to drive his commitment to youth empowerment through his foundation.

“It is the reason we invest in Africa’s youths at the #TonyElumeluFDN, because someone once invested in me,” he wrote.

“My story is proof that when we trust in our youths, they are ready to lead, grow, and transform our continent. Let’s keep believing in Africa’s youths,” he concluded.