Three Haitian businessmen are the subject of sanctions being imposed by Ottawa for laundering the money of the armed gangs rampaging through Haiti and for perpetrating other acts of corruption. In particular, their assets held in Canada will be frozen.
Canada earlier this week announced fresh sanctions against three members of Haitian elite accused of “illegal financial and operational support to armed gangs“Affected are the island’s only billionaire, Gilbert Bigio, and two businessmen, Reynold Deeb and Sherif Abdallah.
Canada has reason to believe that these individuals are using their status as highly visible members of Haiti’s business elite to protect and facilitate the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs, including money laundering and other corruption. These people must stop providing funds and arms to criminal gangs in Haiti.
Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs
The sanctions freeze all of their assets held in Canada and impose a transaction ban.
Ottawa has already imposed sanctions on the political elite, including former President Michel Martelly and two former prime ministers accused of profiting from the work of armed gangs.
Last month, Canada’s government also announced new C$16.5 million in aid to help the country fight a cholera epidemic and fight corruption.
The Caribbean country, the poorest in North America, has been mired in a deep economic, security and political crisis for years, which was profoundly aggravated by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 and the growing power of gangsters.
Ottawa attributes the current instability to armed gangs that “continue to terrorize vulnerable populations in Haiti with impunity” and “prevent the delivery of essential services and humanitarian assistance“.
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