haiti insecurity kidnapping
People protest for the release of kidnapped missionaries near the missionaries' headquarters in Titanyen, north of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in October, 2021 (AP Photo/Joseph Odelyn)

The United States Department of State announced today a reward of $3 million for information leading to the capture of three alleged gang leaders involved in the armed kidnapping of 16 Americans in October 2021. 

The Nov. 7 announcement came as the Department of Justice brought charges against seven leaders of five Haitian gangs. Three of the charges are for the kidnapping of the Christian missionaries, held for 61 days before escaping. The other four charges are against gang leaders accused of kidnapping additional U.S. citizens in Haiti.

“The charges unsealed today are a reminder of the FBI’s ability to reach criminal actors overseas when crimes are committed against U.S. citizens,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a statement. “The FBI, with our federal and international partners, will continue to pursue anyone who targets Americans for hostage taking or other violent crimes – wherever they are.”

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The United States Department of State announced today a reward of $3 million for information leading to the capture of three alleged gang leaders involved in the armed kidnapping of 16 Americans in October 2021. 

The Nov. 7 announcement came as the Department of Justice brought charges against seven leaders of five Haitian gangs. Three of the charges are for the kidnapping of the Christian missionaries, held for 61 days before escaping. The other four charges are against gang leaders accused of kidnapping additional U.S. citizens in Haiti.

“The charges unsealed today are a reminder of the FBI’s ability to reach criminal actors overseas when crimes are committed against U.S. citizens,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a statement. “The FBI, with our federal and international partners, will continue to pursue anyone who targets Americans for hostage taking or other violent crimes – wherever they are.”

To access this post, you must purchase Haitian Times' Subscription, Billed Yearly or Weekly Pass.

J.O. Haselhoef is the author of “Give & Take: Doing Our Damnedest NOT to be Another Charity in Haiti.” She co-founded "Yonn Ede Lot" (One Helping Another), a nonprofit that partnered with volunteer groups in La Montagne ("Lamontay"), Haiti from 2007-2013. She writes and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.