US Federal Charges Against Haitian Gang Leader Barbecue Highlighting Rising Violence in Haiti

Thu Aug 14 2025 01:26:54 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)
US Federal Charges Against Haitian Gang Leader Barbecue Highlighting Rising Violence in Haiti

Jimmy Cherizier, known as "Barbecue," faces criminal charges as the US seeks to curb gang violence in Haiti, offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest.


Federal prosecutors have charged Jimmy Cherizier, the notorious Haitian gang leader, and accomplice Bazile Richardson for soliciting funds from the US Haitian diaspora to finance gang activities, revealing the scale of violence and humanitarian crises gripping Haiti.



US federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against Jimmy Cherizier, widely recognized as "Barbecue," who heads a coalition of gangs controlling a substantial portion of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. The indictment points towards Mr. Cherizier, along with US citizen Bazile Richardson, 48, who allegedly raised funds from the Haitian diaspora in the United States, aiming to support their gang and purchase firearms in contravention of US sanctions.

Cherizier, a former law enforcement officer currently eluding capture in Haiti, leads the gang coalition called Viv Ansanm (Live Together). The US government has placed a $5 million bounty on him for information aiding his arrest. His group has been linked to a plethora of human rights violations, including murders, kidnappings, and assaults on critical infrastructure.

"There’s a significant reason why there’s a $5 million reward for Cherizier's capture,” stated US Attorney Jeanine Pirro during a press briefing. “He is a gang leader accountable for atrocious human rights violations, including acts of violence against American citizens in Haiti.” Prosecutors have implicated him in the 2018 La Saline massacre, where 71 lives were lost, more than 400 homes were obliterated, and several women were assaulted.

Richardson, arrested in Texas last month, is identified as a naturalised US citizen with roots in Haiti, and was living in North Carolina at the time of his apprehension. Known by aliases such as Fredo and Lepe Blode, he is accused of facilitating financial influxes that were directed to gang leaders and weapon purchases.

Both individuals are said to have financially supported Cherizier's violent criminal enterprise that is exacerbating the ongoing security crisis in Haiti. Assistant US Attorney General John Eisenberg emphasized the US's determination to pursue those enabling violence and instability within the country. In May, US officials classified Viv Ansanm as a foreign terrorist organization, which has effectively governed Port-au-Prince since around 2020 but recently proclaimed itself a political party.

Cherizier faces not just US sanctions but also action from the United Nations, Canada, and Britain, which accuse him of inflaming hostilities in Haiti. Should he be captured, extradition to the US remains a possibility; however, he enjoys considerable influence on the streets, shielded by his loyalists.

Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse by unknown assailants in 2021, Haiti, recognized as the poorest nation in the Americas, has descended into severe economic turmoil, lacking effective political governance, and grappling with rampant gang violence. The grip of gangs in Port-au-Prince has precipitated an almost total collapse of law and order, unprecedented health service breakdowns, and a critical food security emergency.

With humanitarian conditions deteriorating, UN-backed security efforts, notably a Kenyan-led force, have struggled to reclaim control of the Haitian capital. Current UN assessments indicate that approximately 5.7 million individuals—over half of Haiti's population—are enduring acute food insecurity, alongside over one million residents who have been displaced internally amidst the turmoil.

MORE ON THEME

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:59:37 GMT

Trump and Putin Set for High-Stakes Meeting in Alaska Amid Ukraine Conflict

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:59:37 GMT
Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:12:08 GMT

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

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:12:08 GMT
Mon, 11 Aug 2025 06:04:35 GMT

**Ecuador Nightclub Shooting Claims Eight Lives Amid Ongoing Gang Violence**

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 06:04:35 GMT
Tue, 05 Aug 2025 10:17:05 GMT

Irish Missionary's Family Struggles Amid Kidnapping Crisis in Haiti

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 10:17:05 GMT
Mon, 04 Aug 2025 21:20:47 GMT

Irish Missionary and Toddler Among Nine Abducted from Haiti Orphanage

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 21:20:47 GMT
Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:19:40 GMT

Irish Missionary and Toddler Among Nine Abducted in Haiti Orphanage Raid

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 14:19:40 GMT
Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:24:24 GMT

US Denies Visas to Palestinian Officials Amid Sanctions

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:24:24 GMT
Tue, 29 Jul 2025 08:15:52 GMT

Álvaro Uribe: First Former Colombian President Convicted in Landmark Case

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 08:15:52 GMT
Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:01:13 GMT

Álvaro Uribe, Ex-Colombian President, Found Guilty of Witness-Tampering

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:01:13 GMT
Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:16:56 GMT

In Port-au-Prince's Shadows: A Young Mother's Struggle Against Gang Violence

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:16:56 GMT
Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:10:29 GMT

Young Mother Defies Gang Orders to Raise Her Baby Amid Haiti's Violence

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:10:29 GMT
Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:55:07 GMT

Ukraine and Russia Prepare for Renewed Peace Talks Amid Continued Conflict

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:55:07 GMT
Tue, 22 Jul 2025 06:51:22 GMT

Venezuela Investigates Allegations of Torture Against Deported Migrants in El Salvador

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 06:51:22 GMT
Tue, 22 Jul 2025 03:54:05 GMT

**Venezuela Launches Inquiry into Alleged Torture of Migrants in El Salvador**

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 03:54:05 GMT
Mon, 21 Jul 2025 03:53:02 GMT

**Ecuador Drug Lord 'Fito' Extradited to Face Charges in US**

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 03:53:02 GMT
Sat, 19 Jul 2025 01:57:00 GMT

Syrian Presidency Deploys Forces to Avert Escalating Sectarian Violence

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 01:57:00 GMT
Wed, 16 Jul 2025 23:50:02 GMT

Trio Sentenced for Execution-Style Murder of Swedish Hip-Hop Star

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 23:50:02 GMT
Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:38:02 GMT

Three Sentenced in Murders Linked to Swedish Hip-Hop Scene

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:38:02 GMT
Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:59:17 GMT

Former President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria Passes Away at 82

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:59:17 GMT
Sun, 13 Jul 2025 17:20:42 GMT

Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari Passes Away at 82

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 17:20:42 GMT

Follow us

© 2024 SwissX REDD UK ltd. All Rights Reserved.