US Charges Haitian Gang Leader 'Barbecue', Offers $5M Bounty

US Charges Against Haitian Gang Leader

The US Department of Justice has filed charges against Jimmy 'Barbecue' Chérizier, Haiti's most powerful gang leader, for fundraising activities in the United States to support criminal operations and human rights violations. A $5 million bounty has been offered for information leading to his capture or conviction.

Who Is 'Barbecue'?

Jimmy Chérizier, a former police officer turned warlord, commands the G9 alliance controlling 90% of Port-au-Prince. Accused of orchestrating massacres killing hundreds between 2017-2019, he was placed on US sanctions lists in 2020 for murder and rape. His coalition has paralyzed Haiti through systematic kidnappings and violence.

Haiti's Gang Crisis

Haiti faces catastrophic security collapse with UN experts reporting unprecedented violence levels. Gang warfare has triggered mass prison breaks, airport sieges, and government paralysis. Over 200 gangs control approximately 90% of the capital, creating what the UN calls 'apocalyptic conditions' with rampant sexual violence and kidnappings.

International Response

The FBI warns Chérizier has 'no safe place to hide.' This prosecution follows last month's arrest of a Texas-based accomplice. A UN-backed Kenyan police force deployed in 2024 has struggled to contain the violence, with gangs recently forming a united front against government forces.