US Charges Haitian Gang Leader Barbecue in Fight Against Organized Crime

In the latest development, US authorities have indicted Jimmy Cherizier, known as "Barbecue," a prominent gang leader in Haiti, on multiple criminal charges for soliciting funds from the Haitian diaspora to finance violent operations.

US federal authorities announced criminal indictments against Jimmy Cherizier, the infamous gang leader known as "Barbecue," at a recent news conference. Cherizier, who heads an alliance of gangs in Port-au-Prince, has been charged alongside US citizen Bazile Richardson for allegedly raising money from the Haitian diaspora in the United States to support gang activities, including purchasing weapons in violation of US sanctions.

Cherizier, a former police officer currently at large in Haiti, leads the gang coalition Viv Ansanm (Live Together) and is wanted for his involvement in serious human rights abuses, including violence against US citizens. Federal prosecutors have 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 articulated, emphasizing the severity of his alleged crimes.

In connection with the case, Richardson, a naturalized US citizen who relocated from Haiti to North Carolina, was arrested in Texas last month. His role involved fundraising for the gang, which has been accused of numerous violent incidents, including the infamous 2018 La Saline massacre where over 70 people were killed, houses were razed, and women were assaulted.

US Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg called Cherizier's operations a "violent criminal enterprise" contributing to an ongoing security crisis in Haiti. Following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Haiti has been destabilized further, struggling with economic turmoil and intense gang violence. The situation has led to an alarming humanitarian crisis, with over 5.7 million Haitians facing acute food insecurity and more than a million displaced internally.

Both the US and international bodies, including the UN and Canada, have placed sanctions on Cherizier, accusing him of perpetuating violence across the nation. Despite the US effort to extradite him upon capture, Cherizier continues to maintain considerable power and protection within Haiti's brutal streets, as the situation in Port-au-Prince declines into chaos and instability continues to rise.