YouTuber Who Visits The Most Dangerous Places in The World is Being Held Ransom in Haiti for $600,000

An American YouTube star has been kidnapped in Haiti by one of the gangs that have become its de facto rulers, as he was attempting to interview the nation’s most notorious gang leader.

Addison Pierre Maalouf, known online as YourFellowArab or just “Arab,” traveled from his home in Atlanta to interview Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, the leader of the notorious G9 and Family gang that has seized control of the government, according to Haiti 24.net.

But just 24 hours after he arrived in the country, Maalouf and a Haitian colleague were taken by members of the 400 Mawozo gang on March 14.

He is being held for a $600,000 ransom, and even though $40,000 has already been paid, the kidnappers are continuing to demand a large sum of money to secure Maalouf’s release, the Haitian outlet reports.

Terrifying situation in Haiti right now. There's an armed rebellion of gangs who are attempting (and apparently succeeding) at overthrowing the government. They want change, and are taking matters into their own hands. In particular, they've taken over Haiti's capital city of Port au Prince. Families have been displaced and thousands of people have died. The gangs have also taken over prisons, freeing thousands of prisoners. It's a massively fucked up situation.

You may have seen news about the leader of the rebellion. A man known as "Barbecue". He was given the name Barbecue as he's famous for burning people alive. Barbecue has a massive amount of influence over gangs and the people of Haiti as a whole. At one point he was rumored to be a cannibal. I don't think the cannibal rumor is necessarily true, but he's crazy enough that people believed it.

So naturally, YouTube star YourFellowArab just had to visit. I say that a little tongue in cheek, but that's what YourFellowArab does. He makes content by visiting the most dangerous places on earth, showing people what life is really like there, learning things from the locals, etc. He's interviewed cartel members, hunted pirates in the Red Sea, and visited the mole people in the Las Vegas tunnels. And he's pretty successful. The man has over a million subscribers on YouTube. That's not how I'd choose to make a living on the internet, but YourFellowArab has done a pretty damn good job of it.

Unfortunately, YourFellowArab has finally got himself into real trouble. He visited Haiti to make a video in the capital of Port au Prince, and was immediately kidnapped by gang members. He even tweeted this before he left.

However it wasn't until yesterday until another word got out, and another streamer close to the situation broke the news that he's being kidnapped and held for a ransom.

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Here was the last video YourFellowArab posted (from Haiti) before he was kidnapped.

I'm not going to judge the guy for going to Haiti. Again, I'd never fucking do it. But that's what he's all about. That's the content he makes, and he clearly knew the risks he was taking. That being said, to be the only person in an entire hotel because nobody is allowed in the country must be a terrifying feeling. If that's not a red flag that maybe I shouldn't be here, I don't know what is.

The ransom is allegedly $600,000, and it's reported that they've paid $40,000 of it so far. His friend and fellow streamer Lalem, who confirmed the news, seems to be optimistic about his return.

The man isn't wrong. If somehow, someway, whatever gang has kidnapped YourFellowArab has been allowing him to film his experience… I mean, that's going to be some groundbreaking content.

According to him, he had an interview lined up with Barbecue himself. I don't want to speculate on how everything went down, but you have to imagine if this Barbecue guy knew a journalist from out of the country was coming, and he "agreed to meet", that this was his plan all along. Take an innocent person hostage and get a pay day. 

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Thoughts and prayers go out to YourFellowArab and everybody in Haiti dealing with this horrifying situation. It's easy to take freedom for granted living in the United States. I can't imagine what it would be like to be forced out of your home by gangs, and watching your close friends. It's a terrifying thing.