Clifford Brandt - Haiti Observer Blog

Clifford Brandt, businessman and entrepreneur, is being brought to justice as the lead defendant of accomplices involved in an abduction network. The network has been targeting victims of kidnapping for many years.

The Central Directorate of the Judicial Police arrested him back in October 2012, after he abducted two youths. The kidnapping laid bare a network of abductors participating in abductions going back several years. Brandt, along with 12 of his co-conspirators will be tried in a criminal court proceeding before a judge.

Judge Me Gabrielle Dominique filed an ordinance specifying charges against 19 defendants including Brandt. Brandt is being indicted on charges of kidnapping, sequestration of people against ransom, criminal conspiracy, false death threats, possession of illegal firearms, and money laundering.

Read more →  

On Saturday December 8, 2012, businessman Jules Edouard Moscoso who is close relative of the Moscoso children who were kidnapped about two Months ago and received their freedom after the intervention of the U.S government was assassinated in the city of Leogane. He was found shot dead in his business, next to a UN base, in Léogane Sunday. Some of the people interviewed declared to have heard gun fires during that night.

The 57 year old Jules Edouard Moscoso is the natural cousin of Robert Moscosso, the father of the two young Moscosso children kidnapped by the Clifford Brandt network. As you may know, Clifford Brandt, a son of one of Haiti's most prominent families, was arrested on charges of kidnapping. It is largely suspected that the killing of Jules Edouard Moscoso is not unrelated to the kidnapping of the Moscoso children and the arrest of Clifford Brandt.

Read more →  

I am not kidding!

The current Haitian president, Michel Martelly, admitted that Clifford Brandt kidnapping network was so powerful in Haiti that it has the ability to overthrow the Government.

The declaration came while the Haitian president was in Europe. Martelly made the declaration at a meeting with the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs, jointly with the Committee on Development and in association with a Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

"We Need help"

According to Michel Martelly, "This is the first time in Haiti we dismantles a network of bandits of this magnitude".

Read more →  

According to Haitian newspaper Haiti Observateur, Haitian businessman Clifford Brandt who is currently jailed for his involvement in the kidnapping of two Moscosso children, made revelations that are disturbing to the current presidential family as well as some other influential members of the Haitian society.

The newspaper cited U.S. officials who participated in the interrogation of Clifford Brandt and also French authorities who have been investigating another gang leader Amaral Duclona.

According to Haiti Observateur Clifford Brandt he is not the leader of the gang. He claims that he is number 5 down in the Kidnapping network. Above him comes directly Olivier Martelly who is number 6. Mr. Olivier Martelly is one of the sons of the current Haitian President Michel Martelly. It was further declared that the wife of the President was a direct beneficiary of Clifford Brandt kidnapping network. This comes in direct contributions of Clifford Brandt to help fund their various projects.

Read more →  

The Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) arrested Clifford Brandt, a businessman and entrepreneur, accused of kidnapping two youths, Coralie and Nicolas Moscoso. They were abducted on Bourdon Road. The kidnapping laid bare a network of abductors, who have been targeting victims for abduction for many years.

The arrest occurred on October 16, 2012 by the Cell Against Kidnapping and Criminal Brigade of the Haitian National Police (HNP). Five other suspects connected to the abduction were also taken into custody.

The abduction network has spread to the HNP. Senior command police officers and inspectors, past and present, have been implicated in abduction plots across Haiti. In particular, Inspector Edner Comé is being actively pursued, considered armed and dangerous.

Read more →  

Four individuals have been dragged into the case of Clifford Brandt, who was arrested over the abduction of Coralie and Nicolas Moscoso. The four other suspects are Brandt's secretary, Swadienne Jean and her husband Franck Sainterine, as well as Ricot Pierreval and Carlo Saint-Fort. They, along with Brandt, were arrested, with Pierreval and Saint-Fort caught as they were trying to cross the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The five suspects have appeared before the Prosecutor of Port-au-Prince on Thursday with Geral Norgaisse as the acting Government Commissioner. After presenting a set of evidence, the prosecution made a decision to incarcerate the suspects. Instead of the National Penitentiary, the suspects were sent to the Civil Prison of Carrefour due to safety issues. Norgaisse refused to divulge too much information about the case because of its sensitivity. He said though that a judge will be assigned to take and oversee the case.

Read more →  

Clifford Brandt, son to a prominent Haitian businessman, was locked up on Monday following allegations of kidnapping.

The matter is being investigated by Haitian police. Authorities on Wednesday said Clifford Brandt played a central role in the kidnapping of two children.

Frantz Lerebours, the police spokesman said the arrest of Clifford was because he was a suspect for having been involved in the kidnapping of two children of a family in Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.

Brandt led the investigating policemen to the place where the two children were held. The police freed the children and arrested Brandt.

Read more →  

Clifford Brandt, son to a prominent Haitian businessman, was locked up on Monday following allegations of kidnapping.

The matter is being investigated by Haitian police. Authorities on Wednesday said Clifford Brandt played a central role in the kidnapping of two children.

Frantz Lerebours, the police spokesman said the arrest of Clifford Brandt was because he was a suspect for having been involved in the kidnapping of two children of a family in Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.

Brandt led the investigating policemen to the place where the two children were held. The police freed the children and arrested Brandt.

Read more →  

Oswals Brandt is one of the historical rich elite of Haiti. He traces his origin in Jamaica. He was born in Trelawny, a parish in Cornwall County in northwest Jamaica.

Born on October 20, 1890, Oswals Brandt is son to John William Brandt and Esther Mathilda Becker.

He got married to a woman by the name Therese Barthe who bore him six children.

Oswald Brandt has great importance in Haitian history. His and others like; Madsen, Lacombe, Gardere, Mevs and Bigio have remained to be the richest families in Haiti.

He was an enabling factor in the establishment of several things in Haiti. It is believed that the rich of his days worked together with the US government to bring a revolution in Haiti.

Read more →  

Another big and prominent name has been dragged into an ongoing kidnapping case involving business tycoon Clifford Brandt. According to reports, Brandt, one of the main suspects in the crime, claimed that Marc-Arthur Phebe was the mastermind behind the kidnappings. Phebe is a National Police officer, as well as the head of the National Palace's CAT Team. He is also Brandt's family security chief.

In order to defend himself, Phebe sought the services of lawyer Carlos Hercule, who is the president of the Federation of Bar Associations. This move is seen to favor Phebe as Hercule is considered one of the most powerful lawyers in the country.

Read more →