This archive report was first published on 10 July 2021.
On February 10, 2021, Haitian Senator Moïse Célestin purchased a luxurious mansion in Canada, sparking outrage and demands for answers from the Haitian public.
According to an investigation by The Times, Senator Célestin's purchase of the mansion appears to have violated Canadian money-laundering regulations. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (R.C.M.P.) has confirmed that it is investigating the transaction, but cannot disclose further details due to ongoing investigations.
Under Canadian regulations, the purchase of the mansion should have raised a red flag, said Garry Clement, the former head of an R.C.M.P. unit that investigates money laundering. Senator Célestin is considered a 'politically exposed person' under Canadian money-laundering regulations, which means financial institutions are required to perform due diligence to determine the source of any transferred funds greater than $100,000.
Senator Célestin has denied any wrongdoing, stating that everything about the purchase was above board. He claimed that he routinely transfers between $20 million and $30 million to Turkey to buy iron for one of his import businesses, and would be scared if his money wasn't clean.
However, Senator Célestin and his lawyer in Montreal declined to answer follow-up questions or provide the names of his import company or his farm. His wife, a counselor at the Haitian consulate in Montreal since 2019, did not respond to a request for comment.
