Haiti — When Jean-Claude Duvalier suddenly emerged from exile last weekend, saying he was here “to help” his devastated homeland, fears immediately spread across the country that the former dictator had come to stake a new claim to power.
But Mr. Duvalier’s risky return home from France may have been driven by another motivation: money.
Though Mr. Duvalier has long been accused of looting $300 million from Haiti before fleeing nearly 25 years ago, his lawyers and friends have said that much of his money was squandered on a lavish lifestyle of jewelry, chateaus, fancy cars and a very expensive divorce from his ex-wife.
Just this week, one of Mr. Duvalier’s lawyers said that when his client was hauled before a Haitian court and asked how he supported himself, Mr. Duvalier responded: “With the help of friends.”
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