Get That ‘Barbecue,’ US Offers $5 Million Bounty for Haitian Gang Leader

Haiti’s most powerful gang leader, Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier. VOA, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

| Published August 19, 2025

The Indictment and Reward

On August 13, 2025, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced that a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., indicted Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier and his associate Bazile Richardson, a naturalized U.S. citizen living in Florida. The indictment charges them with conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions—a scheme that funneled money from Haitian diaspora communities in the United States back into Haiti to finance Chérizier’s sprawling criminal empire.

The Justice Department alleges that Richardson acted as a key middleman, laundering funds and transferring resources that allowed Chérizier’s gangs to purchase weapons, pay off loyalists, and maintain dominance in Port-au-Prince. By prosecuting Richardson inside the U.S., federal authorities are sending a direct warning to the Haitian diaspora: financing gangs abroad can bring criminal liability at home.

To reinforce the case, the U.S. State Department’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program offered a $5 million bounty for information leading to Chérizier’s arrest or conviction. This is one of the largest rewards ever offered for a Haitian criminal figure and reflects Washington’s classification of Chérizier not just as a local warlord, but as a transnational threat.

Additionally, the State Department designated Chérizier’s gang alliance, Viv Ansanm, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This designation has major consequences: it makes it a federal crime for anyone in the U.S. to knowingly provide support, money, or even non-financial assistance to Chérizier or his network. Banks, remittance agencies, and NGOs working in Haiti must now comply with strict sanctions enforcement or risk facing legal action themselves.

In effect, the U.S. has not only criminalized Chérizier’s gang but also tightened the financial noose on any system that props up his violent operations. It marks one of Washington’s strongest legal and diplomatic interventions in Haiti in recent years—placing Chérizier on the same footing as designated foreign terrorists in the Middle East or Latin America.

Who Is Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier?

Jimmy Chérizier, better known by his street name “Barbecue”, is one of Haiti’s most feared and powerful gang leaders. His nickname reportedly stems from his brutal reputation—survivors of his attacks claim his men have burned people alive.

From Police Officer to Warlord

Chérizier once served as an officer in the Haitian National Police. Initially assigned to an elite anti-gang unit, he was dismissed in 2018 after his alleged involvement in violent operations that targeted civilians rather than criminals. Instead of disappearing from public life, Chérizier leveraged his law enforcement experience—knowledge of tactics, weapons, and networks—to carve out a new role as a ruthless power broker in Haiti’s underworld.

The Rise of G9 and Viv Ansanm

Soon after leaving the police, Chérizier consolidated control over several gangs in Port-au-Prince, uniting them into a powerful federation called the G9 Family and Allies. This coalition later expanded into the broader movement known as Viv Ansanm (“Living Together”), which Chérizier styled as a political and social movement for Haiti’s poor.

But behind the rhetoric was raw power. Through extortion, kidnappings, drug trafficking, and control of key roads and ports, Chérizier’s gang alliance gained dominance over much of the capital. At times, his grip has been so tight that the Haitian government itself has struggled to move fuel, food, and aid without his approval.

The La Saline Massacre and Atrocities

Chérizier’s name is most infamously tied to the 2018 La Saline massacre. According to human rights groups and the U.S. Treasury Department, Chérizier and allied gangs slaughtered at least 71 people, burned homes, and committed sexual assaults in a campaign of terror. This atrocity cemented his reputation as Haiti’s most notorious warlord.

Since then, his forces have carried out kidnappings of schoolchildren, assassinations of rivals, and mass killings to maintain dominance. Human Rights Watch and the U.N. accuse him of committing crimes against humanity.

Cult of Personality and Political Messaging

Unlike some gang leaders, Chérizier presents himself as a revolutionary figure. In press appearances and interviews, he often wears military fatigues and gives speeches denouncing Haiti’s elites and political corruption. He claims to fight for Haiti’s poor—but his brutal tactics, from blocking humanitarian aid to burning entire neighborhoods, show he rules through fear rather than ideology.

His influence has made him more than just a gangster. In the eyes of many Haitians, Chérizier represents the collapse of the state itself—a symbol of how gangs now wield more power than elected officials or the police.

A Warlord Untouchable at Home

Despite multiple international sanctions and arrest warrants, Chérizier has remained untouchable in Haiti. His gang controls territory so dangerous that Haitian police and even U.N. peacekeepers have hesitated to challenge him directly. He frequently taunts authorities in public speeches, daring them to confront him.

Now, with the U.S. indictment and $5 million bounty, Washington has elevated Chérizier from a Haitian gang boss to an internationally wanted criminal, putting him in the same category as major cartel leaders and global terrorists.

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This handout image released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on August 12, 2025, shows a wanted poster for Haitian gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier.

 Implications

🔎 Domestic Implications in Haiti

• Escalation of Violence: The bounty could provoke Chérizier to tighten his control, retaliate against suspected informants, or escalate violence in Port-au-Prince.

• Undermining Local Authority: By stepping in, the U.S. highlights the Haitian government’s weakness, possibly eroding public confidence in local institutions.

• Gang Fragmentation or Alliances: Rival gangs may attempt to exploit this opportunity, leading to either violent power struggles or unexpected alliances.

🌍 Regional & International Implications

• U.S. Commitment in the Caribbean: This move shows Washington is reasserting itself in Haiti, signaling to other regional actors (like the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and CARICOM) that the U.S. intends to stay heavily involved.

• Potential International Intervention: The designation of Chérizier’s coalition as a Foreign Terrorist Organization lays legal groundwork for deeper U.S. or U.N.-backed intervention.

• Risk of Refugee Crisis: If violence escalates, more Haitians may flee by sea toward Florida or the Bahamas, raising U.S. border and immigration pressures.

💰 Financial & Legal Implications

• Targeting Diaspora Funding: Prosecuting Chérizier’s alleged U.S.-based accomplice sends a warning to the Haitian diaspora that financing gangs—even indirectly—carries serious legal risk.

• Deterrence Factor: The bounty and terrorist designation may deter businesses, NGOs, and individuals from negotiating or paying gangs for safe passage, choking off funding streams.

⚖️ Political Implications

• Bipartisan U.S. Pressure: Both Democrats and Republicans may use this as a rallying point to show toughness on crime, terrorism, and border security.

• Symbolic vs. Practical: Critics argue that while it looks tough on paper, without boots on the ground or stronger Haitian institutions, the bounty may remain symbolic.

• Perception of U.S. Power: Allies may see this as Washington stepping up to stabilize Haiti, while adversaries (like China or Russia) could spin it as U.S. overreach.

 Overall Takeaway:

The U.S. government’s decision to indict Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier and place a $5 million bounty on his head underscores just how dangerous his grip on Haiti has become—not only for Haitians but for regional security as a whole. While the move sends a powerful message that Washington is no longer willing to tolerate gang dominance in Port-au-Prince, its real impact remains uncertain. If Haitian authorities lack the strength to act, and if the international community hesitates, the bounty may remain a symbolic gesture rather than a turning point. Ultimately, the fate of Haiti’s future rests on whether this high-profile action sparks genuine momentum to dismantle gang power, restore rule of law, and bring relief to a nation trapped in violence and instability.

SOURCES: THE GATEWAY PUNDIT – Get That ‘Barbecue,’ US Offers $5 Million Bounty for Haitian Gang Leader

THE NEW YORK POST – Feds unseal charges against Haitian gang leader ‘Barbecue’ who has $5M bounty on his head

MIAMI HERALD – U.S. indicts Haiti gang leader ‘Barbecue,’ offers $5 million reward for capture