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Federal prosecutors in the United States have unveiled criminal charges against Jimmy Cherizier, the notorious Haitian gang leader known as “Barbecue.” Cherizier commands an alliance of gangs that exert significant control over Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital.
The indictment alleges that Mr. Cherizier, along with U.S. citizen Bazile Richardson, 48, solicited funds from the Haitian diaspora community within the United States. These funds were purportedly used to compensate gang members and procure firearms, in violation of U.S. sanctions.
Mr. Cherizier, a former police officer currently at large in Haiti, leads the group Viv Ansanm (Live Together). The United States is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his apprehension.
Viv Ansanm has been implicated in numerous acts of murder, kidnapping, and attacks on critical infrastructure.
“There’s a good reason that there’s a $5m reward for information leading to Cherizier’s arrest,” US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated at a press conference on Tuesday.
“He’s a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti.”
Prosecutors suspect Cherizier of playing a central role in the 2018 La Saline massacre, an event that resulted in the deaths of 71 people, the destruction of over 400 homes, and the rape of at least seven women.
Mr. Richardson, arrested in Texas last month, is a naturalized U.S. citizen who spent his formative years in Haiti, according to prosecutors. He resided in North Carolina prior to his arrest.
Also known as Fredo, Fred Lion, Leo Danger, and Lepe Blode, Richardson allegedly assisted in raising funds that were subsequently used to pay gang leaders and acquire weapons, according to officials.
Both men are accused of helping to “bankroll Cherizier’s violent criminal enterprise, which is driving a security crisis in Haiti,” stated Assistant U.S. Attorney General John Eisenberg.
He added that the U.S. “will continue to pursue those who enable Haiti’s violence and instability.”
In May, U.S. officials designated Viv Ansanm, which has controlled the capital since approximately 2020, as a foreign terrorist organization. Earlier this year, the group announced its intention to transition into a political party.
In addition to the U.S., Mr. Cherizier is also subject to sanctions from the United Nations, Canada, and the United Kingdom, all of which accuse him of fueling violence in Haiti.
If apprehended, Cherizier could face extradition to the United States. However, he currently maintains a position of considerable influence on the streets and is protected by members of his group.
In 2021, President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by unidentified gunmen in Port-au-Prince.
Since then, the country, the poorest in the Americas, has been plagued by economic turmoil, limited political control, and escalating gang violence.
Gang control in Port-au-Prince has precipitated a near-complete breakdown of law and order, the collapse of health services, and the emergence of a severe food security crisis.
In recent months, a UN-backed, Kenyan-led security force has been unable to regain control of the Haitian capital.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in the country has reached critical levels. UN reports estimate that 5.7 million people, more than half of Haiti’s population, are facing acute food insecurity, and there are over one million internally displaced persons.
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