US imposes sanctions on entities suspected of financing the Wagner Group in Africa

June 28 () –

The United States government has imposed sanctions on four entities and one individual from Africa, who are accused of illegal transactions to finance the Wagner Group, a paramilitary company contracted by Russia.

The US Department of the Treasury has reported on Tuesday the sanctions, alleging that the Wagner Group “exploits the insecurity of the entire world, committing atrocities and criminal acts that threaten the security, good governance, prosperity and Human Rights of nations.” , in addition to exploiting natural resources”.

“Treasury sanctions disrupt key players in the financial network and international structure of the Wagner Group (…), which finances its brutal operations in part by exploiting natural resources in countries like the Central African Republic and Mali,” explained the Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson.

The sanctioned companies are Recursos Midas SARLU, a Central African Republic-based mining company affiliated with Wagner Group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin; Diamville, a gold and diamond buying company controlled by Prigozhin; Industrial Resources General Trading, a Dubai-based distributor of industrial products that reportedly provided financial support to Prigozhin through business deals; and Limited Liability Company DM, a Russia-based company that participated in the gold sale scheme.

In addition, the sanctioned individual is Andrei Nikolayevich Ivanov, an executive of the Wagner Group of Russian nationality, accused of having acted on behalf of Prigozhin between an entity and senior Malian officials in arms and mining deals.

As indicated by the Secretary of the Department of State, Antony Blinken, in a statement, these measures against the aforementioned Central African companies for “their participation in activities that undermine democratic processes and institutions in CAR through the illicit trade in the natural resources of the country”.

The United States has also issued a new trade risk advisory focused on the gold industry in sub-Saharan Africa. The alert highlights how actors like the Wagner Group exploit this resource “to earn revenue and sow conflict, corruption and other harm throughout the region.”

“Death and destruction have followed Wagner’s trail everywhere he has operated, and the United States will continue to take steps to hold him accountable,” Blinken said.