US announces criminal charges against Haitian gang leader Barbecue

August 12, 2025

The U.S. has announced criminal charges against Haitian gang leader Jimmy Cherizier (known as "Barbecue") and U.S. citizen Bazile Richardson for soliciting funds from the Haitian diaspora to support gang activities in violation of U.S. sanctions. Cherizier, who leads the gang alliance Viv Ansanm that controls much of Port-au-Prince, is accused of numerous human rights abuses including the 2018 La Saline massacre where 71 people were killed. The U.S. is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier's arrest, while Richardson was arrested in Texas last month for helping raise funds to pay gang leaders and purchase weapons.

Who is affected

Haitian citizens living in Port-au-Prince under gang control
The 5.7 million people in Haiti facing acute food insecurity
Over one million internally displaced people in Haiti
The Haitian diaspora community in the U.S. (targeted for fundraising)
American citizens in Haiti who have faced violence
Victims of gang violence, including those affected by the La Saline massacre

What action is being taken

U.S. federal prosecutors are pursuing criminal charges against Jimmy Cherizier and Bazile Richardson
The U.S. is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to Cherizier's arrest
The U.S. has designated Viv Ansanm as a foreign terrorist organization
A UN-backed Kenyan-led security force is attempting to regain control of the Haitian capital
Multiple countries including the U.S., UN, Canada, and Britain have imposed sanctions on Cherizier

Why it matters

Cherizier's gang alliance controls much of Haiti's capital, contributing to a breakdown of law and order
The criminal charges represent efforts to combat gang violence that has devastated Haiti
The humanitarian situation in Haiti has reached crisis levels with over half the population facing food insecurity
Gang control has led to the collapse of health services and widespread violence
Haiti, already the poorest country in the Americas, has experienced worsening economic chaos and little functioning political control since President Moïse's assassination

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC