An alleged Haitian gang leader was charged in federal court Tuesday with orchestrating the kidnapping of 16 American Christian missionaries in Haiti last year.
Joly Germine, 29, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., and is accused of conspiracy to commit hostage taking for his role in the armed kidnapping of the 16 U.S. citizens, including five children, in the fall of 2021. The hostages allegedly taken by Germine's 400 Mawozo gang were missionaries for the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries. One of the hostages was a Canadian citizen.
The charging documents say that Germine, also known as"Yonyon," was in Haitian prison at the time of the kidnappings in October 2021 but still “directed and asserted control” of the operation, including negotiating for ransom payments of $1 million per hostage and attempting to force his release from prison as one of the goals of the operation.
“This case shows that the Justice Department will be relentless in our efforts to track down anyone who kidnaps a U.S. citizen abroad,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland in a press release. “We will utilize the full reach of our law enforcement authorities to hold accountable anyone responsible for undermining the safety of Americans anywhere in the world.”Most of the kidnapped missionaries were held captive for 61 days before escaping the week before Christmas 2021.
Germine is the first person charged in connection with the missionaries’ kidnapping. The Haitian government transferred the alleged gang leader from a Haitian jail into U.S. custody on May 3, 2022. Germine is being detained in D.C. and his first court appearance will be on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.At least eight Turkish missionaries were kidnapped in Haiti over the weekend after traveling by bus from the Dominican Republic.A Haitian gang is also reportedly holding hostage a diplomat from the Dominican Republic, Carlos Guillen Tatis, the trade attache at the Dominican Embassy in Port-au-Prince, who was kidnapped earlier this month.
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Haitian gang leader charged in kidnapping of American missionariesThe Justice Department has charged the leader of a violent Haitian gang in connection with the kidnappings of 16 American Christian missionaries last year, officials said Tuesday.
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Haitian gang leader charged in kidnapping of US missionariesFederal prosecutors in the U.S. have charged the leader of a notoriously violent Haitian gang with conspiracy to commit hostage taking for his alleged role in the kidnapping of 16 Americans last year.
Les mer »
Haitian gang leader charged in kidnapping of 16 US missionariesFederal prosecutors in the U.S. have charged the leader of a notoriously violent Haitian gang with conspiracy to commit hostage taking for his alleged role in the kidnapping of 16 Americans last year.
Les mer »
Haitian gang leader charged in kidnapping of US missionariesFederal prosecutors in the U.S. have charged the leader of a notoriously violent Haitian gang with conspiracy to commit hostage taking for his alleged role in the kidnapping of 16 Americans last year.
Les mer »