Dear Supporter,

Today, The Sentry released “The Backchannel: State Capture and Bribery in Congo’s Deal of the Century.” This landmark investigation reveals the dirty tricks behind what was dubbed “the deal of the century” when the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) traded billions of dollars of its mineral wealth to Chinese state-owned engineering firms in exchange for a massive project to improve the country’s infrastructure.

What happened? Behind closed doors, a well-connected middleman named David Du Wei moved $65 million through his shell company’s accounts at BGFIBank DRC with help from a tight network of individuals representing private industry and government. Critical funds meant to rebuild roads, hospitals, and schools wound up in the pockets of power players in the DRC in a scheme orchestrated to keep the mining deal on track.

Who is implicated? The Sentry’s investigation has found clear evidence of corruption showing that the Chinese firms colluded with former DRC President Joseph Kabila’s inner circle to secure access to billions of dollars’ worth of natural resources. And the middleman’s million-dollar payments were routed through the global financial system via correspondent banks—including Citibank and Commerzbank.

A global effort: The Sentry’s investigation was part of a larger collaborative effort led by the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF), Mediapart, and European Investigative Collaborations. The collaboration brought together media and investigative organizations from over a dozen countries spanning four continents. The Sentry, along with the other members of the consortium, made sense of millions of leaked records from a bank controlled by Congo’s presidential family—the largest ever such leak related to Africa.

For the inside story on how global corruption really works, read the report and its two-page summary. For more information on Congo Hold-up, the broader collaborative effort, and to read other hard-hitting investigations by The Sentry’s partners in the consortium, visit European Investigative Collaborations and the consortium’s homepage.

These investigations continue to expose a kleptocratic system that has looted billions from one of the world’s poorest countries—and provide governments, law enforcement agencies, and financial institutions with new evidence needed to take decisive action.

Sincerely,

John Dell'Osso
Senior Investigator