American Social Media Star Kidnapped in Haiti, State Department Taking a 'Hands Off' Approach: Report
An American YouTube influencer was kidnapped by a criminal gang in Haiti, but it appears that the Biden administration does not want to get involved in the incident.
The U.S. Department of State has warned Americans not to visit Haiti, Forbes magazine noted.
According to reports, Addison Pierre Maalouf, known on YouTube as “YourFellowArab” or just “Arab,” had traveled to Haiti to interview the leader of one of Haiti’s criminal gangs that has taken control of the Haitian government.
Maalouf was hoping to interview Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, the leader of the notorious G9 Family and Allies gang, when he got into Haiti. Instead, he has disappeared into the troubled country, according to the New York Post.
Only a day after entering Haiti, on March 14, Maalouf was reportedly snatched up by members of the 400 Mawozo gang.
This criminal gang claims they want a ransom of $600,000 for Maalouf’s freedom.
Maalouf’s representatives say that $40,000 has been given to the gang, but the criminals are demanding more.
“Tried keeping it private for two weeks, but it’s getting out everywhere now,” said Lalem, a fellow YouTuber and friend of Maalouf.
“Yes, Arab has been kidnapped in Haiti and we’re working on getting him out,” Lalem said, adding that he hopes Maalouf will “be out soon.”
This is the last video he recorded before he got kidnapped, if you have his number pls don’t text him while he’s in there for safety reasons. 🙏 https://t.co/JJ7y1uVjGA
— Lalem (@Lalem) March 29, 2024
A second Youtuber, Miles Routledge, also known as travel YouTuber Lord Miles, also confirmed that Maalouf and his guide, Sean Roubens Jean Sacra, have been kidnapped, Forbes said.
One of Maalouf’s last videos featured his warnings that Haiti has become extremely dangerous.
Maalouf said he hoped to travel to Haiti’s capital city, Port-au-Prince, but would only travel in daylight.
He added that the capital city is “completely run by gangs” and even though they had secured safe passage, “all it takes is one stupid gang member holding an AK-47 for one thing to go wrong.”
Forbes added that the U.S. government is “aware of reports of the kidnapping of a U.S. citizen in Haiti,” but did not mention Maalouf by name.
Routledge insisted that the U.S. State Department has been “very hands off on helping” get Maalouf released.
The Biden administration has already removed all U.S. embassy personnel from Haiti.
Maalouf wanted to interview gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier after the gang leader took credit for freeing nearly 4,000 prisoners from Haiti’s various prisons. Cherizier has earned sanctions from the U.S., U.K., and the U.N. as far back as 2018 for his attack on a Port-au-Prince neighborhood that left 71 people dead.
In some of his texts to friends, Maalouf seemed to fully understand that he could be kidnapped by other gangs on his way to interview Chérizier.
In one of his last posts to X, Maalouf wrote, “If I die, thanks for watching what I’ve put out. If I live, all glory to God.”
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