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BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Who be Jimmy 'Barbecue' Chérizier, di powerful Haiti gang lord wey dey face US charges?
US federal prosecutors don announce criminal charges against Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier wey be di Haitian gang leader wey dey lead joinbodi of gangs wey dey control most of Port-au-Prince. Di charges accuse oga Cherizer togeda wit US citizen Bazile Richardson, 48 say dem get money from di Haitian diaspora community for di US to help pay gang members and buy firearms wey go against US sanctions. Oga Cherizier wey don lost inside Haiti dey lead di group Viv Ansanm (Live Togeda). Di US dey offer $5m (£3.7m) for information wey go lead to im arrest. Di group dey accused of plenti killings, kidnappings and attacks for infrastructure. If dem arrest Cherizier, e fit dey extradited to US. Howeva, e still get ogbonge power for streets and dey protected by im group members. So who be Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier and how di former policeman don get dis much power? Im street and social media cred Chérizier don position imself as one of di main pesin for di wave of gang kasala wey just dey burst for Haiti for recent years. Di goment don declare state of emergency bicos of di gang kasala wey dey burst for Haiti for recent years taya. Di latest one start for 9 August wey cover plenti parts of di kontri and dey expected to last for three months. Since dem kill President Jovenel Moïse for July 2021, Chérizier don hype revolution against di pipo wey e call di kontri corrupt political elite. Bifor dem kill am, President Moïse bin assign Ariel Henry as im prime minister. Gang leaders demand di resignation of Henry, who bin dey unelected, wey make am announce say e go step down for March last year. Henry bin dey replaced by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé for November 2024. Di kontri now dey under transitional presidential council, and no presidential elections don hapun for di kontri since 2016, wen Moïse bin dey elected. For August, businessman Laurent Saint-Cyr bin dey appointed to be di oga of di council. To ansa, Chérizier do video message tell di public to help im group to reach di council office "for di kasala to free di kontri". For im rise to power, Chérizier don effectively use social networks to give im message out and attract followers to im armed joinbodi. For interview for im YouTube channel, e tok about di importance of social networks. Chérizier tok say, "I thank di pipo wey create dis technologies. Technology today give us di opportunity to sell ourselves to di public. I no dey sell lies. I be who I be. I no do 99% of wetin dem tok say I do... Technology na im allow me to defend myself." One topic wey Chérizier feel di need to defend imself about na how e get di name "Barbecue". For interview wit di AP news agency for 2019, e say dem call am like dat bicos im mama bin dey sell chicken for street, say no be bicos of accuse say e dey burn pipo. According to di United States and di United Nations Security Council, Chérizier don cause serious human rights violations and both Washington and di UN don sama am wit sanctions. As di oga of di collabo of nine of di most dangerous criminal joinbodi for one of di most lawless kontris for di world, Chérizier now dey seen by many as Haiti most powerful gang leader. But e start for di oda side of di law. E bin work bifor for di Departmental Crowd Control Unit of Haiti National Police, wey dem dey deploy for riots or protests till dem sack am for December 2018. Haitian Authorities accuse Chérizier say e become gang leader for di improvished Lower Delmas neighbourhood wia dem born am and dem organise large-scale massacres wey hapun for di nearby slums of Grand Ravine for 2017, La Saline for 2018 and Be-Air for 2019. But Chérizier don deny all di accuse. Dem kill at least nine civilians for Grand Ravine during operation wey start as anti gang raid. Haitian police officers wey include Chérizier raid one school campus to find weapons, dis na according to internal inquiry wey di Haitian goment do. Officers wey dey wit di United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti wey follow di Haitian police and help plan di operation bin tanda outside. Some months later, Susan D. Page, den di oga of di UN mission for Haiti drop statement wey ask for di Haitian authorities to investigate "allegations of human rights violations by units for di Haitian National Police". Di following year, anoda 71 pipo bin dey killed, 11 women bin dey raped, and 150 houses bin dey destroyed for La Saline and at least 24 pipo bin dey killed for Bel-Air for 2019. Dis na according to report wey dem publish for Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic. For June 2020, Chérizier announce for im YouTube channel say e don organise new collabo wey dem call "G9 Family and Allies". At first, e dey made up of nine gangs from Cité Soleil, La Saline and lower Delmas, but dem don grow to get ova a dozen gangs, na wetin UN Security Council report tok. One Harvard report accuse G9 Family and Allies say dem kill at least 145 and rape plenti women for di middle of 2020 "to fit claim areas wey rivals wey get links to Moïse political opponents dey hold", wey be wetin Harvard report. Di report add say "residents believe say dem target dem bicos of dia political affiliations, to fit gada electoral support for (Moïse) and im party. G9 reportedly dey enjoy ties for both di Moïse administration and (Haiti National Police)." Haiti National Human Rights Defense Network don repeat di accuse and claim say na local police dey protect Chérizier. For December 2020, di US Treasury Department wey issue civil sanctions against Chérizier and odas wey pipo reason say dey involved for di massacres, say di gangs kill victims wey include children, "and den drag dem enta street, burn dia bodi, cut dem and feed dem give animals". Chérizier don deny say e get hand for di massacres plenti times, e say e be community leader wey dey help residents and dey lead "army revolution", e come add say e go "put guns for pikin hand if we need to" to fight system of inequality and di elites wey dey control am. E tell AP say, "I no go eva massacre pipo for di same social class wit me. I live for di ghetto. I sabi wetin ghetto life is." Chérizier say im armed fight na to improve di living standards of di poor wey be house, food and clean water, and im gunmen dey give am plenti political ginger. Pierre Esperance, wey be di director of di Haitian non-governmental organisation (NGO) National Network for di Defense of Human Rights, tell BBC Mundo for 2021 say "criminal gangs dey beta equipped dan police and get protection of authorities". But di killing of President Möise for 2021 na im be di breaking point for Chérizier organisation. Dis na wetin di international analysts like di portal Insight crime (wey be foundation wey dey study organised crime for di Americas) tok, bicos e make am lose govment protection. Show of force Chérizier dey show imself as political leader, dey hold news conferences, lead marches for di violent capital and dey regularly use social media take ginger im influence. Yvens Rumbold from di Policité think-tank for Haiti tell The Washington Post, "di bandits go neva dey as powerful as dem be for Haiti without social media". Chérizier use im YouTube account to announce di creation of di G-9 and demand say make di police arrest di former prime minister, and e call for di kontri to dey taken ova to remove di current ruling class for X wey dem bin call Twitter bifor. Meanwhile, for TikTok, examples of personalities from oda gang leaders to rappers wey dey spread gang ideas and send messages about wetin dey hapun for di street of Port-au-Prince dey. But di physical expression of im power for street also dey shocking. Cherizier gang block di den Prime Minster Ariel Henry wey take over after Moise death from placing flowers for di late president monument as dem shoot in di air But di gang leader wear white wit im men by im side, go drop wreath of flowers for di monument for extraordinary demonstration of force. Im gang alliance don dey accused by Haitian authorities for organising fuel blockade for 2022 wey paralyse di kontri for almost two moths to put pressure for Henry govment. Di gasoline shortage worsen di humanitarian situation for Haiti. Na Chérizier announce imself say e dey lift blockade for 6 November 2022. Im G-9 gang don also fight bloody war wit G-Pèp, wey be rival group and tori be say dem dey linked to parties wey oppose di assassinated President Moïse, according to Insight Crime. Shooting and turf battles don turn normal tin wit di two groups and e don spread from di poorest communities go central Port-au-Prince. Tori comot say G-9, G-Pèp bin get truce for late 2023, but fighting still dey go on between di gangs plus including di police and vigilante groups wey start bicos of lack of state protection and force thousands of pipo to run comot dia houses. For recent months, one UN backed Kenyan led security force bin fail to get back control of di Haitian capital. Meanwhile, di humanitarian kasala for di kontri don enta new level. UN report say about 5.7 million pipo, wey be more dan half of Haiti population, dey face serious food insecurity and dia be ova one million IDPs. Additional reporting by Guillermo D. Olmo, Cecilia Barría and Vanessa Buschschlüter.
National Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
U.S. offers $5M reward for arrest of powerful Haitian gang leader known as ‘Barbecue'
Article content The surge in violence led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was locked out of his country while on an official visit to Kenya. Article content The gang federation continues to attack once peaceful communities in Port-au-Prince, and it is accused of helping gangs in Haiti's central region. Article content Also indicted is Bazile Richardson, whom officials say is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Haiti who grew up with Cherizier and lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Article content Both are accused of leading a 'wide-ranging conspiracy' by directly soliciting money transfers from members of the Haitian diaspora to raise funds for Cherizier's gang activities in Haiti, according to the indictment. It stated that the money was used to pay the salaries of gang members and buy weapons from illegal dealers in Haiti. Most of the firearms are smuggled in from the U.S. since Haiti does not produce weapons. Article content According to the indictment, there are two other unnamed co-conspirators from Haiti who live in New York and Massachusetts, and five others who live in Haiti. Article content Cherizier said in a video posted on social media that Richardson never sent him money to finance anything in Haiti. Article content 'If the FBI wants me, I'm here. I'm willing to collaborate with them on one condition, there can be no lies told,' Cherizier said, speaking in English. Article content It was not immediately clear if Richardson had an attorney. Article content The indictment noted that Cherizier and Richardson have acknowledged the sanctions against Cherizier, adding that the alleged conspiracy began around December 2020 and continued through January of this year. Article content Article content One voice memo that an unidentified co-conspirator in Haiti allegedly sent to Richardson stated: 'If I have backup, we will take the power, and you will be able to come back to your country. You will need to serve in the new government.' Article content Richardson forwarded the alleged memo to Cherizier in June 2022, nearly a year after former President Jovenel Moise was killed at his private residence. Article content Another person identified only as a Haitian co-conspirator allegedly sent a voice memo to Richardson saying, 'we want to start a revolution in Haiti and are trying to collect funds.' Part of the plan was to have 1,000 individuals give $20 each or 1 million Haitians abroad give $1 each, as well as collect money from 1,000 people for each of Haiti's 10 regions, according to the indictment. Article content Article content 'With this money, they can buy pick-up trucks, weapons, ammunition, clothing to include T-shirts, boots and hats. We want to change everything in Haiti,' according to one alleged voice memo. Article content In June 2021, Cherizier held a press conference announcing the start of a revolution. Article content A crackdown on violence Article content The indictment comes as gang violence continues to surge in Haiti's capital and beyond, with gunmen kidnapping an Irish missionary and seven other people, including a 3-year-old, from an orphanage earlier this month. Article content The office of Haiti's prime minister did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the indictment. Article content Johnston said the broader strategy in the fight against gangs remains unclear. Article content Darren Cox, acting assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, said the bureau's Miami office is leading the effort to apprehend Cherizier. Article content 'The FBI is focused more than ever on crushing violent crime,' Cox said. 'There is no safe haven for them, or the people like them.' Article content
Fox News
7 days ago
- Fox News
Feds unseal charges against 'Barbecue,' Haitian gang leader with $5M bounty on his head
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro on Tuesday announced an indictment in Washington, D.C., accusing Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier and Bazile Richardson, a naturalized U.S. citizen, of conspiring to send U.S. funds to finance Chérizier's Haitian gang. The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Chérizier is a fugitive and is believed to be in Haiti. His co-defendant, Richardson, who also goes by "Fredo," "Fred Lion," "Leo Danger," and "Lepe Blode," was arrested in Pasadena, Texas on July 23. Pirro said Tuesday that Chérizier is a gang leader who orchestrated and committed various acts of violence against Haitians. In 2020, the U.S. sanctioned Chérizier under the Magnitsky Act for his alleged human rights violations. His indictment makes it the first of its kind for an individual sanctioned under the international Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, Pirro added. Richardson and Chérizier grew up together in Haiti, though the former later became a naturalized U.S. citizen and was living in North Carolina. Richardson was indicted for allegedly sending money to Chérizier, knowing that he had been sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act. "I want to let the public know that anyone who was giving money to Chérizier, also known as Barbecue, because of his violent acts in his home country, cannot say 'I didn't know. I didn't know that he was sanctioned by the U.S government,'" Pirro said. "They will be prosecuted, and we will find them because they are supporting an individual who was committing human rights abuses. And we will not look the other way." The State Department's Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program announced Tuesday that it is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Chérizier. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is encouraged to contact the State Department. "There's a good reason that there's a $5 million reward for information leading to Chérizier's arrest. He's a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti," Pirro said. "The U.S. government sanctioned Chérizier in 2020 because he was responsible for an ongoing campaign of violence, including the 2018 La Saline massacre, in which 71 people were killed, more than 400 houses were destroyed, and at least seven women raped by armed gangs." Court documents show that Chérizier is a former officer in the Haitian National Police and leader of a gang known as the Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies, which helped create a gang alliance called Viv Ansanm. The alliance united many of Haiti's criminal gangs in opposition to the legitimate government of Haiti. The indictment alleges Chérizier and Richardson, after Chérizier was sanctioned, led a wide-ranging conspiracy with people in the U.S., Haiti and other places to raise money for Chérizier's gang activities, in violation of the sanctions. Specifically, the two men solicited money from members of the Haitian diaspora in the U.S. "After sending funds to intermediaries in Haiti for Chérizier's benefit, the U.S. and Haitian co-conspirators would send Chérizier images of receipts from money transfers," the DOJ said. "Chérizier used these funds principally to pay salaries to the members of his gang and to acquire firearms from illicit firearms dealers in Haiti." The Trump administration, in May, designated Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif – two of Haiti's most powerful gang networks – as foreign terrorist organizations and specifically designated terrorists. The move was aimed at disrupting the gangs' operations and supporting efforts to restore order in the troubled Caribbean nation. The designations brought serious legal consequences. Individuals or entities that provide material support to Viv Ansanm or Gran Grif could face criminal charges, loss of immigration benefits or removal from the U.S.
France 24
7 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
US offers $5 mn reward for arrest of Haitian gang leader
Cherizier, 48, and another man, Bazile Richardson, have been indicted on charges of conspiring to transfer funds from the United States to fund gang activities in Haiti, the Justice Department said. "There's a good reason that there's a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier's arrest," US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said at a press conference. "He's a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti." Cherizier has been under US Treasury Department sanctions since 2020 and UN sanctions since 2022. The former policeman heads an alliance of gangs in Haiti dubbed the "G9 Family," whose members are accused of murder, robbery, extortion, rape, targeted assassinations, drug trafficking and kidnappings. The alliance participated in an organized assault last year that ultimately led to the resignation of prime minister Ariel Henry, who was replaced by a frail transitional council. The Justice Department said that Cherizier and Richardson, a naturalized US citizen who was arrested in Texas last month, raised funds from members of the Haitian diaspora in the United States and had the money transferred to intermediaries in the Caribbean nation. Cherizier allegedly used the funds to pay salaries to members of his gang and purchase firearms. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, with swaths of the country and the vast majority of the capital Port-au-Prince under the control of armed gangs. Despite the deployment of a Kenyan-led multinational force to back up Haiti's police, violence has continued to soar. At least 3,141 people have been killed in the first half of this year, according to figures released last month by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. "Cherizier and (Richardson) sought to raise funds in the United States to bankroll Cherizier's violent criminal enterprise, which is driving a security crisis in Haiti," Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg said. "The National Security Division does not tolerate criminal gang fundraising in the United States, and will continue to pursue those who enable Haiti's violence and instability." © 2025 AFP
Reuters
7 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
US indicts Haitian gang leader Jimmy 'Barbeque' Cherizier for sanctions violations
WASHINGTON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - The United States announced criminal charges against Haitian gang leader and former police officer Jimmy "Barbeque" Cherizier and a North Carolina man on Tuesday for conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions. The July 17 indictment, unsealed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that Cherizier and Bazile Richardson, also known as "Fredo Pam," engaged in a wide-ranging conspiracy to circumvent sanctions and raise funds for Cherizier's gang activities in Haiti. It alleges they solicited funds from members of the Haitian diaspora in the United States to help pay salaries of gang members and purchase firearms. Richardson is a naturalized U.S. citizen who grew up in Haiti and resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Cherizier launched a gang alliance in 2020 that brought together nine criminal groups in the area of Port-au-Prince known as "G9 Family and Allies," which later allied with its main rivals into a group known as "Viv Ansanm" (Living Together) - which now controls most of the capital. Cherizier acts as spokesman for this alliance, which declared itself a political party at the start of this year, and which the Trump administration has designated a terrorist organization. Human rights groups accuse its members of massacres, rapes, ransom kidnappings, extortion and arson. They control many of the main routes around Port-au-Prince, complicating the transport of food, aid and medical supplies. Cherizier is also alleged to have played a role in multiple massacres that include the killing of over 70 people in an impoverished neighborhood of Port-au-Prince in 2018. Despite the partial deployment of a U.N.-backed security mission and anti-gang efforts by Haiti's National Police, Cherizier, alongside other major gang leaders, continues to operate from strongholds in and around the capital. Cherizier is already under sanctions by the United Nations, the United States, Canada and Britain, which say his leadership of the armed alliance threatens the peace, security and stability of Haiti. Cherizier could face extradition to the United States, though Haiti's tenuous security situation could make that difficult. The United States is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier's arrest.
