Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier got slapped with a $5 million bounty by the U.S. government after being hit with federal charges tied to gang violence and dirty money in Haiti.
The notorious ex-cop runs the Viv Ansanm gang, a ruthless alliance of armed groups that’s been running wild in Port-au-Prince.
He’s been on the U.S. radar for a minute, but things hit a whole new level when a grand jury indicted him earlier this week for allegedly scheming to dodge sanctions while bankrolling the criminal chaos in Haiti.
The State Department is now throwing serious cash at anyone who helps bring this dude in.
Barbecue’s name has been tied to some of the ugliest violence in Haiti, including the brutal 2018 La Saline massacre. That attack left at least 70 people dead, torched hundreds of homes and included reports of sexual assault.
The U.S. says he wasn’t just involved — he ran the whole thing.
The feds also named Bazile Richardson, a U.S. citizen, in the same indictment. They’re accusing him of wiring money from the States to fuel Barbecue’s gang operations.
Chérizier’s gang alliance has been going after key places in Haiti, blowing up infrastructure, busting open prisons, and even messing with the main airport.
That has helped them tighten their grip on the capital and throw the whole country into never-before-seen chaos.
Now, the U.N. says gangs like his run about 90% of Port-au-Prince, and their influence is spreading to smaller towns and a good amount ot of their weapons have been traced straight back to the U.S.
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