The indictment of Jimmy Cherizier highlights the growing violence and instability in Haiti and reflects ongoing international efforts to tackle gang-related crime.
**US Charges Haitian Gang Leader "Barbecue" for Criminal Activities**
**US Charges Haitian Gang Leader "Barbecue" for Criminal Activities**
US federal prosecutors take action against notorious gang leader as violence escalates in Haiti.
US federal authorities have filed criminal charges against Jimmy Cherizier, commonly referred to as "Barbecue," who heads a coalition of gangs dominating the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. According to the indictment, Cherizier and US citizen Bazile Richardson, aged 48, are accused of soliciting funds from the Haitian diaspora in the United States to financially support gang members and purchase firearms in violation of American sanctions.
Cherizier, a former police officer currently evading capture in Haiti, leads the gang network known as Viv Ansanm (Live Together). The U.S. government has placed a $5 million reward for information that could lead to his arrest. "There's a good reason that there's a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier's arrest," US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated during a recent news conference. "He's a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti."
Allegations against Cherizier include involvement in numerous murders, kidnappings, and violent attacks on infrastructure. Prosecutors have indicated that he played a major role in the notorious La Saline massacre of 2018, during which 71 people were killed and over 400 buildings were destroyed, alongside acts of sexual violence reported against women.
Richardson, who was apprehended in Texas last month, is described by prosecutors as a naturalized US citizen raised in Haiti and living in North Carolina at the time of his arrest. He has been nicknamed Fredo, Fred Lion, Leo Danger, and Lepe Blode. Officials allege he contributed to financial operations that enabled Cherizier's gang activities, which have significantly contributed to the escalating security crisis in Haiti.
Assistant US Attorney General John Eisenberg indicated that the United States aims to pursue those who facilitate Haiti's ongoing violence and instability. Earlier this year, Viv Ansanm was classified as a foreign terrorist organization amidst claims of them asserting political aspirations in the context of a fragmented governance landscape.
In addition to facing US charges, Cherizier is under sanctions from the United Nations and various countries, including Canada and the UK, all of which accuse him of inciting violence in Haiti. Should he be apprehended, extradition to the US remains a possibility, although he continues to maintain considerable control in the area due to protection from his gang members.
Haiti, already the poorest nation in the Americas, has suffered from deteriorating conditions following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. As gang violence escalates, law enforcement has nearly collapsed, resulting in a humanitarian crisis. Recent UN reports reveal that over half the population, approximately 5.7 million people, is facing acute food insecurity, and more than one million are currently internally displaced within the country.
As hopes for stabilization dwindle, efforts led by a UN-backed Kenyan security force have so far struggled to regain control of Port-au-Prince, deepening the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
