On Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025, Joly Germine (34 years old), alias "Yonyon", from Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, former leader of the "400 Mawozo" gang, who was extradited to the United States on May 3rd, 2022 ( https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36576-haiti-flash-the-powerful-leader-of-the-400-wawozo-gang-extradited-to-the-usa.html ), was sentenced by the federal court in the District of Columbia to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for his role in the hostage-taking of 17 American citizens in Haiti on October 16, 2021. The hostages included twelve adults and five young children (ages 3, 6, 14, and 15, and an 8-month-old baby).

Most of them were held hostage for 62 days, stated federal prosecutor Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The victims belonged to the missionary organization Christian Aid Ministries and were returning from a mission at an orphanage when they were kidnapped.

Germine was found guilty by a federal jury on May 16, 2025, following a 10-day trial in the District of Columbia. He was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking and 16 counts of taking U.S. citizens hostage for ransom. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36645-haiti-flash-yonyon-the-ex-leader-of-400-mawozo-indicted-by-a-federal-grand-jury.html

The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Germine orchestrated the initial kidnapping, organized the hostage holding locations, and set the ransom at $17 million, knowing it was exorbitant and hoping to pressure the Haitian government into negotiating his release (he was imprisoned in Haiti) in exchange for the missionaries. It was also established that Germine participated in, or was consulted on, the decisions regarding the victims' release.

The missionaries were taken to an isolated building, held hostage at gunpoint, and a ransom of one million dollars each was demanded for their release. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35037-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-demands-one-million-dollars-for-the-release-of-each-american-hostage.html

On November 20, 2021, two hostages were released, one of whom was seriously ill. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35299-haiti-flash-2-of-the-17-kidnapped-american-hostages-released.html On December 5, 2021, the 400 Mawozo group released three more hostages. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35417-haiti-flash-3-new-american-hostages-released.html after receiving a ransom of $350,000. On December 16, 2021, the last hostages escaped under cover of night, taking advantage of a moment of inattention from their captors. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35529-haiti-flash-the-400-mawozo-gang-did-not-release-the-12-hostages-they-escaped.html

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36645-haiti-flash-yonyon-the-ex-leader-of-400-mawozo-indicted-by-a-federal-grand-jury.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36576-haiti-flash-the-powerful-leader-of-the-400-wawozo-gang-extradited-to-the-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35529-haiti-flash-the-400-mawozo-gang-did-not-release-the-12-hostages-they-escaped.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35299-haiti-flash-2-of-the-17-kidnapped-american-hostages-released.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35037-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-demands-one-million-dollars-for-the-release-of-each-american-hostage.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35417-haiti-flash-3-new-american-hostages-released.html

SL/ HaitiLibre