U.S. Charges Haitian Gang Leader "Barbecue" with Criminal Offenses

Federal prosecutors in the U.S. have filed criminal charges against Jimmy Cherizier, known as "Barbecue," for allegedly soliciting funds from the Haitian diaspora to support gang activities, amid ongoing violence and a humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

U.S. federal prosecutors have unveiled criminal charges against Jimmy Cherizier, the infamous gang leader dubbed "Barbecue," who heads a coalition of gangs controlling much of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The indictment accuses Cherizier and Bazile Richardson, a 48-year-old U.S. citizen, of soliciting financial support from the Haitian diaspora in the United States to fund gang operations and procure firearms, all in violation of existing U.S. sanctions.

Cherizier, a former police officer currently at large in Haiti, leads the group known as Viv Ansanm (Live Together). The U.S. government has put a bounty of $5 million (£3.7 million) for information leading to his capture. The gang has been linked to numerous alleged crimes, including murders, kidnappings, and violent assaults on essential infrastructure.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro emphasized the severity of Cherizier's actions during a press conference, stating, "There’s a good reason that there’s a $5 million 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.”

Cherizier is implicated in the infamous La Saline massacre of 2018, where 71 individuals lost their lives, over 400 houses were destroyed, and multiple sexual assaults were reported. Richardson, also known by multiple aliases, was apprehended in Texas last month. After relocating from Haiti, he was living in North Carolina before his arrest. He purportedly helped finance the gang's operations by raising funds for weapons and to compensate gang leaders.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney General John Eisenberg, both individuals were integral to financing Cherizier's violent criminal enterprise, which exacerbates Haiti's security crisis. Eisenberg affirmed that the U.S. "will continue to pursue those who enable Haiti's violence and instability.”

The U.S. has classified Viv Ansanm as a foreign terrorist organization, a designation it received in May 2023. This group has dominated the capital since around 2020 while recently claiming to establish itself as a political party.

Globally, Cherizier faces sanctions from the United Nations, Canada, and the United Kingdom, all of which accuse him of inciting widespread turmoil in Haiti. Should he be arrested, extradition to the U.S. would be on the table, yet he retains significant power on the streets, heavily shielded by his gang members.

Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas, has been in turmoil since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. The country is experiencing rampant economic decline, a lack of political governance, and escalating gang violence. The unchecked power of gangs in Port-au-Prince has led to a near-total breakdown of law and order, collapsing health services, and an acute food security crisis.

UN-backed efforts to stabilize the country, including a Kenyan-led security force, have yet to yield significant results, as the humanitarian situation worsens. Current UN reports estimate that over half of Haiti's population—approximately 5.7 million people—faces acute food insecurity, with more than one million people displaced within their own country.