May 15, 2025
The Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) has released a series of damning reports this week, exposing chaotic and deeply irregular management practices within several Haitian public institutions. These investigations, carried out over several months, reveal cases of abuse of office, embezzlement of public funds, document forgery, and illegal procurement. Each case involves officials who, according to the ULCC, betrayed their duty to serve the public interest.
OFATMA: Abuses Under Dr. Carl François
Dr. Carl François, head of Haiti’s Office of Occupational Accident Insurance, Sickness and Maternity (OFATMA), is at the center of serious allegations. The ULCC investigation found that he illegally awarded contracts—particularly in the catering sector—to companies with close ties to him, bypassing all legal procurement procedures. Two firms, Valcuisine and Oley Event & Food Services, were cited as having received irregular public contracts without public tenders or administrative justification.
The ULCC is urging criminal prosecution of Dr. François for abuse of office, illegal procurement, and conflict of interest. It also recommends prosecuting Valmine Jean Jacques and Valérie Nadia Victor for forgery and use of false documents, as well as freezing the bank accounts of the implicated companies.
Immigration Department: Passport Fraud Ring
In another major case, the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration was found to be involved in the fraudulent creation of 556 passports using counterfeit stamps from the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI). This scheme took place between September and November 2024, during a DGI workers’ strike. A fake account under the name Fernando Victor was created by Stéphane Vincent to bypass the system.
The ULCC is calling for legal action against Vincent, along with Mariantha Méroné, Lesly Saint-Juste, and Rubens Pauléon, for their roles in the fraudulent issuance of official documents.
DIE Centers: Unjustified Spending and Disappearances of Funds
A separate report details suspicious financial practices at several administrative centers of the National Identification Directorate (DIE)—specifically in Delmas, Tabarre, Pétion-Ville, and the main office in Lalue. Funds were spent without supporting documents or justification. In Delmas, 300,000 gourdes vanished without a trace. On Rue Lamarre, 365,000 gourdes of a 475,000-gourde fund allocated for police payments were unaccounted for. In Tabarre, millions were disbursed as “bonuses” with no signatures or payment records.
The ULCC recommends criminal charges against center heads Jean René Laguerre and Jude Marcelin, and a full audit of all funds disbursed under the management of Stéphane Vincent. The agency also calls for stronger budgetary and administrative oversight across all public document processing centers.
OPC Scandal: Fictitious Travel and Embezzlement
The most high-profile investigation concerns the Office of the Citizen Protector (OPC), formerly headed by Renan Hédouville. Of 17 officially budgeted trips between 2022 and 2024, 10 never took place. Nonetheless, 16.6 million gourdes were disbursed for airline tickets and per diem expenses. Agencies such as Sans Souci Voyages issued documents for fictitious travel, compounding the financial loss.
The ULCC is urging the judiciary to prosecute Renan Hédouville, Régine Hédouville, Juliana Thomas Simplice, Tex Willer Célafoi Louis, Mimose Moyard, Jean Jolin Dodier, and Hugues Narcisse. It also recommends a full review of operations at Sans Souci Voyages and judicial recovery of the embezzled funds.
