U.S. law enforcement agencies have announced a significant restructuring of their most-wanted fugitives list concerning Haitian criminal leaders. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has removed Vitel’Homme Innocent, a gang leader previously carrying a $2 million bounty, from its prestigious ‘Ten Most Wanted Fugitives’ list. While Innocent remains at large in Haiti, authorities determined his continued listing wouldn’t generate new information crucial for his capture, despite extensive investigation and media exposure since 2023. The active investigation to apprehend him continues.
Concurrently, the U.S. State Department has issued a new $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Johnson “Izo” André, a prominent figure in Haiti’s escalating gang violence. André, believed to be in his twenties, leads the heavily armed 5 Segond gang and is a key member of the Viv Ansanm coalition—officially designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.
André is wanted for his alleged masterminding of the March 2023 kidnapping of a U.S. citizen in Port-au-Prince. According to official statements, the hostage was taken on André’s direct orders and held captive in Village de Dieu, a seaside slum serving as his operational base. The victim was released after nine days following a ransom payment that included the victim’s vehicle and firearms belonging to the victim’s father.
Beyond kidnapping charges filed in the District of Columbia in December 2024, André and his criminal network are implicated in extensive cocaine trafficking operations. The State Department further attributes 1,035 documented cases of sexual violence to André and the 5 Segond gang, highlighting the brutal tactics employed by these criminal organizations.