A YouTube and Twitch star, known as YourFellowArab, has reportedly been kidnapped in Haiti while trying to interview a feared gang leader named Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier.
The American citizen, Addison Pierre Maalouf, was taken in the area of Croix-des-Bouquets by the 400 Mawozo gang, led by Joseph Wilson, also known as Lanmo San Jou, which means “death has no appointed time”.
This gang is infamous for kidnapping 16 American missionaries and one Canadian in 2021. Maalouf had been visiting Delmas 6, a region in the capital Port-au-Prince, to interview Barbecue when he was kidnapped on March 14.
The kidnappers have demanded a huge $600,000 (£475,000) ransom for his release, with $40,000 (£31,700) already paid according to reports.
Maalouf, who makes videos about gangs for his YouTube channel, has been to dangerous places before, like the favelas in Rio where he met armed bad guys.
On Twitter today (March 29), another Twitch streamer, Lalem, shared: “Tried keeping it private for 2 weeks, but it’s getting out everywhere now, yes Arab has been kidnapped in Haiti and we’re working on getting him out. Love ya’ll he’ll be out soon.”
READ MORE: Haiti expat gripped by fear as mother and young niece stuck in Port-au-Prince
Miles Routledge, a Brit who likes to visit risky spots and puts it on YouTube, says he talked to Maalouf on the phone. He learned that Maalouf was with someone named Sean Roubens Jean Sacra when they were both taken.
Routledge said the bad guys want less money now, just “five figures”. He also said: “Arab has been kept in a cage in a place on the eastern outskirts of the Capital, Port-au-Prince.”
“Arab has stated that despite the hardships, he’s going to come out with a great video after this and he should be out in no time. Sean was actually offered to be let go but he’s a great guy and doesn’t want to leave Arab on his own, so he has decided to stay.”
