U.S. sanctions Bodeau for corruption

The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions against Gary Bodeau on Wednesday as the Department of State hit him with an entry ban.

"Corrupt officials like Gary Bodeau have created an environment that empowers illegal armed gangs and their supporters to inflict violence on the Haitian people," Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brain Nelson said in a statement.

U.S. officials say Bodeau paid Haitian officials bribes to secure their votes while seeking ministerial position appointments in 2018 as well as having solicited bribes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from senior government officials for his political support.

In 2019, Gary Bodeau was involved in facilitating upwards of $7.4 million in bribes from businessmen for politicians so that they would produce a successful vote in the lower house of Haiti's bicameral legislature.