Joly Germine, also known as “YonYon”, has been found guilty on 17 counts related to the kidnapping of 16 American missionaries, as well as an additional count stemming from a separate hostage-taking incident.
His sentencing is scheduled for September 4, and prosecutors are seeking life imprisonment. If upheld, Germine will spend the remainder of his life in a high-security federal prison in the United States.
Germine has already been sentenced to 35 years in prison in a separate case involving arms trafficking.
Believed to be the leader of the 400 Mawozo gang—one of Haiti’s most violent criminal organizations—Germine was at the center of the October 2021 kidnapping of 17 North American citizens. The gang had demanded a ransom of $17 million, or $1 million per hostage. He is also accused of planning another unrelated hostage-taking.
Germine was extradited to the United States on May 3, 2022, following a formal request for judicial cooperation from Washington. According to the Haitian National Police (PNH), he was being prosecuted for conspiracy, arms smuggling, illegal importation of military-grade weapons, and the kidnapping for ransom of U.S. nationals.
This is not the first time Germine has faced serious criminal charges. In January 2024, he pleaded guilty to 48 counts, including money laundering and trafficking automatic firearms between Florida and Haiti. These weapons were reportedly used in murders, extortion, and kidnappings carried out by his gang.
During his trial, Germine admitted to supplying weapons to members of the gang, including his cousin Joseph Wilson, who goes by Lanmò Sanjou, now believed to be the current leader of the 400 Mawozo and wanted by the FBI.
Despite the extensive evidence presented against him, Germine continues to deny direct involvement in the kidnappings.
The news “ Joly Germine, Also Known As “YonYon,” Found Guilty in the Kidnapping of 16 American Missionaries” was first reported by CTN.
Mederson Alcindor also contributed to this story.
