Bold Moves, Hollow System: The Haitian Pulse Digs Into a Judicial Spectacle That Could Mean Everything — Or Absolutely Nothing
OPINION | The Haitian Pulse | June 11, 2025
In a dramatic announcement blasted across news channels this week, Haiti’s Ministry of Justice and the Port-au-Prince prosecutor’s office declared that bank accounts belonging to UN-sanctioned gang leaders have been frozen. Prosecutor Frantz Monclair even touted letters sent to the ULCC and UCREF to investigate money laundering, terrorism financing, and the trafficking of weapons of war.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
This isn't the first time we've seen the Haitian state put on a show — and The Haitian Pulse is here to remind you: bold declarations don’t equal bold justice.
“Freezing Accounts” Means Little When the Money Was Never There
Most of Haiti’s gang leaders — Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, Johnson “Izo” André, Renel “Ti Lapli” Destina, and others — operate entirely off the grid.
Their wealth lives in:
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Hidden cash stashes
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Weapon stockpiles
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Cars, properties, and deals far removed from traditional banks
Freezing accounts? That’s theater. It sounds good to international ears, but it does nothing to stop the reign of terror in gang-controlled zones where Haitians wake up each day dodging bullets and kidnappers.
"This isn't justice — it's performance art," says Marie Dorléans, a Haitian legal analyst based in New York.
"Freezing accounts sounds bold, but when the system freezing them is itself compromised, it’s just a press release with no backbone."
The Haitian Justice System: Compromised From Within
Let’s be real: the current regime has no moral authority to police gang violence or corruption — because it is built on both.
The same officials behind these “crackdowns” are part of the very system that fueled the rise of gangs in the first place. The Haitian Pulse isn’t buying the sudden righteousness of a government that:
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Ignores U.S. and Canadian sanctions against politicians
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Has done nothing to hold corrupt elites accountable
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Claims to fight crime while coddling criminals in power
Justice in Haiti too often becomes a weapon for show, not a shield for the people.
"How can a government that dances with criminals suddenly pretend to be their judge?" asks activist Jean-Baptiste Louis from Carrefour.
"We’ve seen this movie before — and we already know how it ends."
Who’s Really on the List?
The UN sanctions include:
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Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier
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Johnson “Izo” André
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Renel “Ti Lapli” Destina
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Wilson “Lanmò San Jou” Joseph
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Vitelhomme Innocent
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Luckson Elan
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Ex-deputy Victor Prophane
But what about the politicians and business elites who enabled and financed these gangs? Their names remain untouchable — and their money continues flowing.
Haitian Pulse to the Diaspora: We See Through the Smokescreen
While Haitian authorities claim they are seeking "international cooperation" to investigate these criminals, The Haitian Pulse calls it what it is: delay, deflect, deny.
This isn’t justice — it’s justice optics in a nation where laws bend for the powerful and break the people.
Our Take? Watch Closely — But Don’t Be Fooled
Until the Haitian government is held to the same standards as the criminals it claims to pursue, these gestures mean little.
Real justice will not come from those who profit from the chaos. It will come from a people who refuse to be lied to.
What Do YOU Think?
Will freezing gang accounts make any real difference?
Can a corrupt system hold itself accountable?
What role should the diaspora play in demanding justice?
👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments and let your voice be heard. We’re building pressure — and we need you in it.
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