Gilbert Bigio, a prominent Haitian businessman and founder of the extensive GB Group conglomerate, died on September 29, 2026, at the age of 91 in Florida. His death occurred nearly four years after the Canadian government imposed sanctions on him, citing alleged connections to criminal gangs in Haiti.

Bigio's passing closes a chapter on one of Haiti's most influential economic figures, leaving behind a vast business empire now operating under the shadow of international sanctions. The Canadian measures, which include broad 'deemed ownership' provisions, mean that the future of his conglomerate and its numerous interests could face ongoing scrutiny and restrictions, potentially affecting operations far beyond Canada's borders.

What the records show

Gilbert Bigio established GB Group in 1972, launching with Aciérie d'Haïti, a steelworks company. By the 1980s, this steel operation controlled most commercial steel in Haiti. The conglomerate expanded significantly over decades, diversifying into various sectors such as construction materials, consumer goods, edible oils through Huileries Haïtiennes, energy and fuel, including GB Energy and former Texaco operations in the Dominican Republic, telecommunications, real estate, banking, logistics, and infrastructure projects like Port Lafito.

In December 2022, the Canadian government imposed sanctions on Bigio, along with two other Haitian elites, Reynold Deeb and Sherif Abdallah. These sanctions were enacted under Canada's Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA) and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (JVCFOA). The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs accused Bigio and the others of using their positions to protect and enable the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs in Haiti, including through money laundering and other acts of corruption. The sanctions included a dealings prohibition, freezing Bigio's assets in Canada and prohibiting transactions with him by Canadians and persons in Canada.

Canadian sanctions legislation also includes