On Thursday, December 12, the United States government announced that it has imposed sanctions, including freezing all assets, on the former Angolan leaders Leopoldino Fragoso do Nascimento “Dino” and Manuel Helder Vieira Dias Jr. “Cobelleba” in the country.
Leopoldino do Nascimento and Dias Júnior, better known as Generals ‘Dino’ and ‘Kopelipa’, respectively, “are two former government officials who have stolen billions of dollars from the Angolan government through embezzlement,” reads the Portuguese-language press release, circulated today in Washington .
In the text, the US Treasury says those now under sanctions “conspired with other Angolan individuals and Sam Ba, identified by the Treasury Department.” [enquanto alvo de sanções em abril de 2014] To divert financing from infrastructure development projects, including the use of phantom projects.
The text states that the former officials are “also suspected of embezzling millions of dollars from Angolan infrastructure projects and then using their positions in the Angolan economy to protect themselves from the possibility of criminal charges”.
In addition, the US also says that “as part of a military equipment deal, Dias Jr. has negotiated with a third-country defense products manufacturer a significant additional amount of money for other senior Angolan government officials.”
Angolans are subject to Executive Order 13818, which also covers four entities owned or controlled by Leopoldino Nascimento: Cochan SA, Cochan Holdings LLC, Geni SARL, and Geni Novas Tecnologias SA
OFAC also appoints [para ser alvo de sanções] An entity, Baia Consulting, owned or controlled by Dias Jr. and his wife, Luisa de Fatima Gioviti”, is within the scope of that entity.
The memo adds that the sanctions enacted today mean that “all assets and interests in property of the above-mentioned persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons are prohibited and must be reported to OFAC.”
In addition, “any entities that belong, directly or indirectly, 50% or more to one or more prohibited persons shall be prohibited,” and no assets shall be traded or utilised by contributions or supplies of money, goods or services in which the persons shall now be sanctioned. .
The two Angolan leaders were members of the Presidency of the Republic, at the time of former Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos and former Vice President Manuel Vicente.
