US accuses N.C. man of bankrolling Haitian gang leader Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Chérizier

A naturalized US citizen originally from Haiti has been accused of secretly sending thousands of dollars to one of Haiti’s most notorious gang leaders to buy guns, vehicles, and pay gang members’ salaries, according to federal court documents.

Bazile Richardson, 45, who also goes by “Fredo Pam” and several other aliases, was arrested in Houston on July 23 and is being held without bail after a federal magistrate in Texas determined he posed a danger to the community. His case will be tried in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, according to the detention order filed July 29.

A grand jury indicted Richardson on July 24, alleging he conspired to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act by funneling money to Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, the sanctioned Haitian gang leader and head of the G9 Family and Allies and the Viv Ansanm gang alliance. Both the U.S. Treasury and State Department have sanctioned Chérizier, and in May the State Department designated Viv Ansanm as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

According to the indictment, Richardson repeatedly used US money transfer services and intermediaries to send funds from members of the Haitian diaspora to Chérizier in Haiti. Investigators say the money supported gang operations that included paying foot soldiers, purchasing firearms, and sustaining violent campaigns to destabilize Port-au-Prince.

Voice memos and social media messages cited in court records show Richardson was aware of the sanctions and the illegality of the transfers. In one message, he allegedly boasted of his close ties to Chérizier and expressed support for a “revolution” in Haiti, saying he would finance heavy weapons if he could.

Prosecutors argue Richardson played a critical financial role for Chérizier’s network, which has been linked to killings, arson, and mass displacement in the Haitian capital. In the 2018 La Saline massacre, cited in the indictment, civilians were killed and homes set ablaze during gang-led attacks.

In his detention order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett wrote that there were “no conditions or combination of conditions to reasonably assure the safety of any other person or the community,” noting that Richardson’s conduct directly funded violent gang activity in Haiti.

Federal authorities allege Richardson collected money from Haitian Americans across multiple states, often using messaging apps to conceal the purpose of the transfers. Some funds were sent through third parties in Canada and Haiti to avoid detection, according to prosecutors.

If convicted, Richardson faces up to 20 years in prison and forfeiture of assets tied to the alleged conspiracy.

Richardson’s arrest comes as the U.S. continues to target individuals accused of fueling gang violence in Haiti, which has left much of Port-au-Prince under criminal control and worsened the country’s humanitarian crisis.

“The charges made against him are wrong, there has been some confusion,” wrote Richardson’s wife, Lourdelyne St Joy, in a character support letter reviewed by The Haitian Times. “[He] is a person of good moral character who has made great contributions to his community and family and deserves a second chance.”

Additional reporting by Zoltan Lucas

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