Jimmy Cherizier, 48, a Haitian citizen, and another man named Bazile Richardson were charged with conspiring to transfer money from the US to fund gang activities in Haiti, the US Justice Department said on 12/8.
"We are offering a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier's arrest," said prosecutor Jeanine Pirro. "Cherizier is the gang leader responsible for brutal human rights violations, including acts of violence against American citizens in Haiti."
Cherizier, nicknamed "Barbeque," is a former police officer who was fired in December 2018. He was placed on a US Treasury sanctions list in 2020 and the United Nations followed suit in 2022.
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Jimmy Cherizier in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in March 2024. Photo: Reuters |
Jimmy Cherizier in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in March 2024. Photo: Reuters
The former officer leads a Haitian gang alliance known as the "G9 Family." Members of the alliance are accused of murder, robbery, extortion, rape, drug trafficking, and kidnapping. The G9 Family was involved in an organized attack late last year that led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
The US Justice Department said Cherizier and Richardson, a naturalized US citizen arrested in Texas last month, raised funds from members of the Haitian diaspora in the US and transferred the money to intermediaries in Haiti. Cherizier allegedly used the money to pay gang members and buy weapons.
"Cherizier colluded with Richardson to raise funds in the US to finance his criminal activities, which are fueling the security crisis in Haiti," said Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg. "The National Security Division of the Justice Department will not tolerate fundraising for gangs and will continue to prosecute those who contribute to violence and instability in Haiti."
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Large areas of the country, including much of the capital Port-au-Prince, are controlled by armed gangs. Despite the deployment of a Kenyan-led multinational police force to support the Haitian police, violence in the country continues to escalate.
Nguyen Tien (AFP, AP, Reuters)
