Cherizier, widely known by the nickname “Barbecue,” is accused of driving violence and instability across the island nation of 11 million.
A former officer in the Haitian National Police, he helped form the Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies before expanding that coalition into Viv Ansanm, which unified several gangs opposed to the Haitian government. US officials describe him as directly responsible for murders, rapes, and other human rights abuses.
The Department of Justice this week unsealed an indictment charging Cherizier with conspiracy to violate American sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Prosecutors say he avoided restrictions imposed in 2020 under the Global Magnitsky Act, which targeted him for his role in the La Saline massacre. During that 2018 attack, 71 people were killed, more than 400 homes destroyed, and women were assaulted by armed gangs.
Authorities allege that Cherizier worked with a US citizen, Bazile Richardson, to raise money in violation of sanctions. According to the indictment, funds were solicited from the Haitian diaspora in the United States and transferred through intermediaries in Haiti before being delivered to Cherizier. Investigators say the money supported his gang’s payroll and the purchase of firearms from illicit dealers.
Richardson, also known by several aliases, was arrested July 23 in Pasadena, Texas, and made his first court appearance in Washington, DC, the State Department announced. Cherizier remains at large and is believed to be in Haiti.
“Cherizier and a US associate sought to raise funds in the United States to bankroll Cherizier’s violent criminal enterprise, which is driving a security crisis in Haiti,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg.
Federal authorities also said that the State Department reward is part of their efforts to bring Cherizier to justice. Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
Information can be provided to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or through online tip lines.
