Special agents with FBI Miami on Wednesday appealed to the public for assistance in locating a fugitive from Haiti connected to the kidnapping of a United States citizen.
The U.S. Department of State announced a reward of up to US$1 million for information leading to the capture of Johnson ‘Izo’ Andre, who is wanted for his alleged role in the 2023 hostage-taking in Port-au-Prince.
Authorities said Andre is the leader of the Haiti-based 5 Segond criminal organisation. According to investigators, armed gang members acting under Andre’s orders seized a U.S. citizen at gunpoint on March 18, 2023, and transported the victim to Village de Dieu, on the outskirts of the capital. The victim was released nine days later after a ransom, the victim’s vehicle and firearms belonging to the victim’s father were handed over to the gang.
Andre remains at large and is believed to still reside in the Village de Dieu area. The reward is being offered for information leading to his identification, location, arrest or conviction.
He is also wanted by the Haitian National Police on multiple charges, including assassination, kidnapping for ransom, illegal possession of firearms, hijacking of freight trucks and criminal conspiracy. Survivors have identified Andre and his gang as being responsible for more than 1,000 documented cases of sexual violence in 2022.
In December 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Andre under Executive Order 13818 for serious human rights abuses tied to his leadership of the criminal gang. The sanctions prohibit U.S. persons and entities from engaging in transactions involving Andre’s property or financial interests.
A year later, in December 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI filed a criminal complaint charging Andre with hostage-taking and conspiracy to commit hostage-taking. Investigators are urging anyone with information about his whereabouts to come forward as efforts continue to bring him into custody.
