Gilbert Bigio

Bigio is from a Sephardic Jewish family from Aleppo in the Ottoman Empire (now Syria), whose family immigrated to Haiti in 1896. The family has also been involved in other commercial activities all throughout the country. The Bigio family has remained in Haiti, prominent in business affairs for three generations. Bigio is not religious, but does own the only Sefer Torah in Haiti and culturally participates in Jewish holidays and events. His wife Monique is a convert to Judaism. According to Bigio, he has not experienced antisemitism in Haiti. == Career ==

In 1972, Bigio founded GB Group starting with Aciérie d’Haïti (Haiti Steelworks). In the 1980s, the company controlled almost all the commercial steel within Haiti. Bigio has continued to grow the company's reach, expanding into consumer goods, energy and fuel, telecommunications, real estate, banking, and logistics. Bigio served as Honorary Israeli Consul and later so did his son, Reuven. == Canadian Government sanctions against Bigio ==

On December 2, 2022 the Government of Canada imposed sanctions against Bigio. The sanctions against Bigio was a response to his alleged participation in "gross and systematic human rights violations in Haiti and engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security, and stability of Haiti." The Canadian sanctions against Bigio were intended to stop the flow of illicit funds and weapons to armed criminal gangs in Haiti. Specifically Bigio is accused of supporting "illegal activities of armed criminal gangs, including through money laundering and other acts of corruption", according to a statement from the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs. ==References==