The US has issued charges against the leader of the gang in Haiti

• Sherezyor and Richardson are being charged in a scheme to collect funds for the gang.
• The Viv Ansanm alliance controls most of Port-au-Prince.
• The situation in Haiti is deteriorating due to gang violence.

In the US, federal prosecutors have issued criminal charges against Jimmy Sherezyor, known as "Barbecue," who is the leader of an alliance of gangs that controls most of the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince. The charges against him also involve Richardson, a naturalized US citizen who, according to court documents, collected money from the Haitian diaspora to finance the gang's activities.

Sherezyor, a former police officer, is currently on the run in Haiti. The US is offering $5 million for information leading to his arrest. The Sherezyor alliance, known as Viv Ansanm, is charged with numerous killings, kidnappings, and attacks on infrastructure.

Along with the indictment, Sherezyor and Richardson are accused of a "widespread criminal conspiracy," directly soliciting monetary transfers from members of the diaspora to finance the gang. These funds were allegedly used to pay the salary of a gang member and procure weapons from illegal suppliers.

Both defendants were identified in sanctions imposed on Sherezyor, and, along with the indictment, the case began in June 2020 and is set to continue until January 2025.

The Viv Ansanm alliance, which controls most of Port-au-Prince, was designated as a terrorist organization by the US in April 2023. Since then, the country has experienced a surge in gang-related violence, which has led to economic chaos and a humanitarian crisis.

According to the data from OAS, over 5.7 million people in Haiti are facing severe food insecurity, while over one million have been internally displaced due to gang violence.

Tags: USA/Crime