Raúl Castro

Raúl Castro has been the subject of one major U.S. criminal indictment. In May 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging the 94-year-old former Cuban president with four counts of murder, two counts of destruction of aircraft, and conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals. These charges stem from the February 24, 1996, shootdown of two unarmed civilian planes operated by the group Brothers to the Rescue, which resulted in the deaths of four people, including three U.S. citizens. Prosecutors allege that Castro, serving as defense minister at the time, authorized the use of deadly force against the aircraft. There have been no convictions or trials regarding these charges, and given the lack of an extradition treaty, it is considered unlikely he will face U.S. custody. Additionally, historical investigations by U.S. prosecutors in the 1990s explored potential links between senior Cuban military officials and drug trafficking, leading to examinations of Castro's potential role in a racketeering conspiracy, though he was not charged in those earlier matters. No other specific corruption, fraud, or bribery convictions are reported in the provided text.