PORT-AU-PRINCE — A number of Haitian political figures named in a recent report by the United Nations Panel of Consultants have rejected allegations linking them to armed teams, prison financing or illicit financial networks. They’ve challenged the U.N. investigators to offer proof and, in some instances, known as for his or her names to be faraway from the report.
The responses fluctuate. Former Sen. Nenel Cassy and former Kenscoff Deputy Alfredo Junior Antoine dispute allegations of supporting armed teams, whereas former Sen. Youry Latortue challenges claims linking him to gangs within the Artibonite area. Ex- Senator Jean-Charles Moïse, in the meantime, denies allegations involving Haiti’s glass eel commerce.
The report additionally names former Arcahaie Mayor Rosemila Sainvil Petit-Frère and former lawmaker Prophane Victor, amongst others, in reference to alleged prison exercise.
The allegations and denials come as armed gangs proceed to pose a serious safety menace in Haiti, the place violence has displaced over 1.5 million residents and weakened state authority.
Cassy and Antoine deny financing gangs
Cassy, who criticized the report throughout an Oct. 13 news conference, was the latest to publicly react. He rejected the allegations and argued that the report targets influential individuals who communicate out towards gangs.
“I’ve by no means financed gangs, participated in prison acts, or killed or paid anybody to kill,” Cassy stated. “Those that are able to preventing the gangs are accused of being related to them.”
He additionally argued that the allegations danger normalizing gang exercise by suggesting that elected officers are concerned with these armed teams.
In its report dated Sept. 8, the Panel of Consultants on Haiti alleges that Cassy supported armed gangs to advance his political agenda and private pursuits. It identifies him as having exercised management over the BLTS prison group in Miragoâne.
“I’ve by no means financed gangs, participated in prison acts, or killed or paid anybody to kill. Those that are able to preventing the gangs, they’re accused of being related to them.”
Former Sen. Nenel Cassy
The report additionally hyperlinks Cassy to the creation of Fantôme 509 in 2018. The group, described as involving law enforcement officials, has been accused of violent acts, together with killings of law enforcement officials. The report additionally connects the group to an tried kidnapping adopted by the 2021 assassination of a Haitian diplomat.
The report names Cassy alongside Antoine, whom investigators determine as an alleged key determine behind the Jan. 27, 2025, assault in Kenscoff that left greater than 100 individuals lifeless. It additionally alleges that Antoine steadily communicated with gang chief Dady “Didy” Paul, whom the report hyperlinks to subsequent assaults within the space.
Antoine has denied the allegations in interviews with native media, difficult the specialists to offer proof of his alleged gang ties. He has additionally questioned the report’s findings, arguing that investigators didn’t conduct fieldwork in Kenscoff.
Each Cassy and Antoine have beforehand confronted allegations of hyperlinks to gangs and of supplying firearms, ammunition, or cash to prison teams. They had been arrested and later launched in reference to allegations that included conspiracy towards state safety, financing prison organizations, complicity in homicide and prison affiliation.
Neither man is presently topic to U.N. monetary sanctions, in line with info accessible as of this writing, regardless of the renewal of the U.N. sanctions regime on Haiti on Oct. 14. Nevertheless, within the context of this renewal, the U.N. didn’t verify whether or not it signaled that extra names could possibly be added, at a time when the nation is getting ready for elections.
“Right this moment, as previously, I proceed to reject these allegations of their entirety,” Latortue stated. Throughout my two phrases within the Senate of the Republic, I served the general public overtly and in entrance of the cameras.”
Former Sen. Youri Latortue
For now, the U.N. sanctions listing consists of 9 people, seven of whom are gang leaders — Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, Johnson “Izo” André, Renel “Ti Lapli” Destina, Wilson “Lanmò San Jou” Joseph, Vitelhomme Harmless, Luckson Elan and Kempès Sanon — and two former authorities officers, Dimitri Hérard and Victor. The listing additionally consists of Gran Grif and Viv Ansanm, two entities the U.N.ited States has designated as terrorist organizations.
Cassy, nonetheless, has been beneath Canadian sanctions since March 23, 2023, and was publicly designated by the US on Dec. 11, 2023, over allegations of corruption and hyperlinks to prison exercise.
Latortue disputes allegations of ties to Artibonite gang
Latortue, a former senator and chief of Atibonit An Aksyon (AAA) celebration, challenged the report in an open letter dated Oct. 7 addressed to the panel and the U.N. Safety Council.
He stated the report falsely linked him to the Kokorat San Ras and Raboteau gangs within the Artibonite area and argued that the allegations lacked supporting proof. In line with Latortue, the claims relied on rumors circulating by means of a recording shared on social media wherein a gang chief accused him.
“Right this moment, as previously, I proceed to reject these allegations of their entirety,” Latortue stated. “Throughout my two phrases within the Senate of the Republic, I served the general public overtly and in entrance of the cameras. I’ve by no means supported, armed or financed any gang.”
Different figures named within the report embrace former lawmaker Victor, who has been sanctioned over allegations that he supported and armed gangs, and Magalie Habitant, whom the panel describes as an middleman between prison teams and their financial and monetary supporters.
Each are in jail and haven’t publicly responded to the report’s newest allegations. They’ve been detained since January 2025 and are awaiting trial. A July 21 Court docket of Attraction ruling confirmed that their instances must be referred to the prison courtroom.
Moïse challenges allegations about glass eel commerce, Petit-Frère stays muted
Moïse, a former senator representing the North Division and chief of the Pitit Dessalines celebration, will not be accused within the report of ties to the Viv Ansanm gang coalition. As an alternative, investigators allege that he workouts vital political and financial affect over Haiti’s profitable glass eel commerce and leads a bootleg export community related to broader smuggling operations within the Caribbean.
In line with the panel’s report, the alleged community influenced export permits, customs oversight and different levels of the provision chain, from harvesting to commercialization. Investigators stated Moïse’s attain prolonged to the Dominican Republic and different components of the Caribbean.
Like Latortue, Moïse disputed the report’s allegations and challenged the specialists to supply proof in an Oct. 10 post on X. His celebration additionally issued a statement arguing that the glass eel commerce will not be inherently unlawful and that Moïse has no industrial exercise within the sector.
“I demand verifiable proof and, failing that, the removing of my identify from the related passages,” Moïse wrote. “I reserve the correct to take any acceptable motion, nationally and internationally, to defend my honor.”
In the meantime, Petit-Frère, the previous mayor of Arcahaie, who’s accused within the report of financing gang leaders, laundering cash and sharing confidential details about deliberate police operations with members of the Viv Ansanm coalition, has not publicly commented on the most recent report.
However investigators stated she submitted a letter disputing the allegations after being given a possibility to reply.
Petit-Frère was arrested in August 2025 whereas touring by means of the Dominican Republic en route from Canada. She was launched in January attributable to undisclosed medical circumstances. Her present whereabouts had been unknown on the time of publication.
The U.N. Safety Council had not publicly responded to the most recent objections to the report by the accused people.
Their responses spotlight the conflict between the U.N. panel’s findings and allegations and the people’ denials, as Haiti continues to grapple with gang violence and its results on civilians.
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