Former Haitian representative Victor Prophane has sanctions in several countries for ties to gangs
Victor Prophane, the former Haitian representative arrested during the weekend Even for unknown reasons, in addition to being prohibited from entering the Dominican Republic, he has sanctions from the US Treasury and the UN Security Council for his alleged links with criminal groups in Haiti.
His sanction from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury occurred in September 2024 for its alleged role in the training, support and supplying weapons to gangs and its members.
On its official website, the US Treasury cites that the former legislator began arming young people in the Petite Riviere, Artibonite to ensure control over the area and be elected in 2016.
“Those men went on to form the Gran Grif gang, which is currently the largest gang in the Artibonite department and the main perpetrator of abuses, including sexual violence,” they quote.
They also accuse Prophane of trafficking weapons to Haiti and providing funds to other gangs in the Caribbean country.
“Prophane Victor’s gang affiliations and material support for them contribute to the climate of terror, as gangs engage in a variety of cruelty and violence, fight for control, and leave residents to pay the consequences,” they note.
With this sanction, the former representative’s properties on US soil are blocked, as well as shares that jointly belong to other people, with US citizens receiving civil or criminal sanctions.
The sanction of the United Nations Organization (UN) He also arrived last September, versed in the same reasons for the United States’ inclusion, adding that he is a former high-ranking Customs official and businessman.
Likewise, they point out that at that time he controlled sections of the Customs department, which allowed him to enrich himself and provided him with the means to engage in a wide variety of criminal activities with impunity.
“According to reports from January 2023, Victor threatened customs officers who were carrying out their work,” they point out.
Canada sanctions
In 2023, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly imposed transaction bans on Prophane that froze all assets in that territory as well as banning him from entering Canada.
