US federal prosecutors have revealed criminal charges against Jimmy Cherizier, infamously known as "Barbecue," the leader of a powerful alliance of gangs exerting control over much of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. Cherizier, alongside US citizen Bazile Richardson, has been accused of soliciting financial support from the Haitian diaspora in the United States to fund his gang operations, including acquiring firearms in direct violation of US sanctions.
Cherizier, a former police officer currently evading capture in Haiti, heads the gang coalition known as Viv Ansanm (Live Together). The US government has placed a reward of $5 million (£3.7 million) for information that leads to his arrest. Prosecutors assert that the gang has been linked to numerous crimes, including murder, kidnappings, and attacks on vital infrastructure. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated, "There's a good reason that there's a $5m reward for information leading to Cherizier's arrest. He's a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti."
Prosecutors maintain that Cherizier played an instrumental role in the 2018 La Saline massacre, where 71 individuals lost their lives, hundreds of homes were destroyed, and multiple rapes were reported. Richardson, a naturalized US citizen originally from Haiti, was arrested in Texas last month after being located in North Carolina. It is alleged that he assisted in fundraising endeavors to finance gang leadership and procure weapons.
According to Assistant US Attorney General John Eisenberg, both Cherizier and Richardson have helped to "bankroll Cherizier's violent criminal enterprise, which is driving a security crisis in Haiti." He emphasized that the US is committed to pursuing individuals who contribute to Haiti's ongoing violence and instability. Earlier this year, US officials labeled Viv Ansanm as a foreign terrorist organization after it began asserting control over the capital around 2020. This group had also declared itself a political party in a striking bid for legitimacy.
Cherizier and his criminal affiliations are subjected not only to US sanctions but also to measures imposed by the United Nations, Canada, and the UK, all of which accuse him of exacerbating the violence in Haiti. If apprehended, there's the possibility of extradition to the US, although Cherizier maintains considerable influence and protection from his gang's members. The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 marked a significant turning point in Haiti's security landscape, which has since plummeted into chaos marked by violence and economic strife.
Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas, faces severe challenges, including the collapse of law and order and escalating gang violence that has led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Recent reports from the United Nations estimate that over 5.7 million people—more than half of Haiti's population—are grappling with acute food insecurity, alongside more than one million individuals who are internally displaced due to the unrest. The humanitarian situation continues to worsen, even with the involvement of a UN-backed Kenyan-led security force that has struggled to reestablish control in the Haitian capital.
