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1/ @ICIJorg’s new investigation - #FinCENFiles - is our largest collaboration with journalists in Africa so far. There are new faces for us in Togo, Cameroon, The Gambia and beyond.
A thread with nearly all the African stories.
A thread with nearly all the African stories.
2/ We spend huge resources, time and energy being the best cross-border investigative news organization on the planet. Collaboration isn’t cheap or easy. This time around for #FinCENFiles we had support from @CENOZO_Afrique and @freepressunltd. https://cenozo.org/en/articles/240-the-fincen-files-cenozo
3/ Reporters in Africa dealt with threats from powerful people and the perils of the Coronavirus. Here’s a rundown of stories from each country!
#FinCENFiles isn’t only about your country. It’s about theirs, too.
#FinCENFiles isn’t only about your country. It’s about theirs, too.
4/ 
Botswana’s diamonds are a key industry. It’s also shrouded in secrecy. @AlvinNtibinyane at @ink_cij reveals details about one of his country’s sacred cows. https://inkjournalism.org/2259/diamonds-and-dollars-the-obscure-transactions-of-the-sparkling-industry/
Botswana’s diamonds are a key industry. It’s also shrouded in secrecy. @AlvinNtibinyane at @ink_cij reveals details about one of his country’s sacred cows. https://inkjournalism.org/2259/diamonds-and-dollars-the-obscure-transactions-of-the-sparkling-industry/
5/ 
The Palladino loan scandal in Guinea is one of the biggest corruption stories in recent African history. @Lasarus_A @TheNamibian exposes the connections of a Namibian airline to one of the scandal’s top protagonists. https://investigations.thenamibian.online/the-fincen-files-investigation/
The Palladino loan scandal in Guinea is one of the biggest corruption stories in recent African history. @Lasarus_A @TheNamibian exposes the connections of a Namibian airline to one of the scandal’s top protagonists. https://investigations.thenamibian.online/the-fincen-files-investigation/
6/ 
@GoldenMatonga in Malawi exposes more details on a controversial patrol boat deal under a former president. https://www.mwnation.com/arms-deal-haunts-jb/
@GoldenMatonga in Malawi exposes more details on a controversial patrol boat deal under a former president. https://www.mwnation.com/arms-deal-haunts-jb/
7/ 
A phantom company in Tanzania? @sibosiso couldn’t find physical or documentary trace of a company that seems to be owned by a plumber. It reportedly moved $620 million! https://www.jamiiforums.com/threads/phantom-tanzanian-company-flagged-moving-620-million.1787300/
A phantom company in Tanzania? @sibosiso couldn’t find physical or documentary trace of a company that seems to be owned by a plumber. It reportedly moved $620 million! https://www.jamiiforums.com/threads/phantom-tanzanian-company-flagged-moving-620-million.1787300/
8/ 
Kenya is an economic giant. But it was a tiny reference to ivory @MukamiPurit found experts said was alarming. https://pigafirimbi.africauncensored.online/kenya-fincen-transactions-unearthed/
"Big money is not carried in suitcases but through very respectable banks and other international financial institutions" - @alvinmosioma
Kenya is an economic giant. But it was a tiny reference to ivory @MukamiPurit found experts said was alarming. https://pigafirimbi.africauncensored.online/kenya-fincen-transactions-unearthed/"Big money is not carried in suitcases but through very respectable banks and other international financial institutions" - @alvinmosioma
9/ 
Former DRC vice-president Jean-Claude Bemba was convicted for witness tampering in a war crimes trial. @MusebaThe from Cameroon reveals more financial details in #FinCENFiles. https://www.themusebaproject.org/a-la-une/fincen-files-deux-femmes-cameroun-auraient-pris-argent-pour-temoigner-en-faveur-de-jean-pierre-bemba-cpi/
Former DRC vice-president Jean-Claude Bemba was convicted for witness tampering in a war crimes trial. @MusebaThe from Cameroon reveals more financial details in #FinCENFiles. https://www.themusebaproject.org/a-la-une/fincen-files-deux-femmes-cameroun-auraient-pris-argent-pour-temoigner-en-faveur-de-jean-pierre-bemba-cpi/
10/ 
In Togo, a new @ICIJorg partner investigated a local company that did business with a Singaporean firm allegedly involved in a raft of dodgy deals. https://cenozo.org/en/articles/251-blanchiment-d-argent-et-financement-du-terrorisme-une-societe-togolaise-en-affaire-avec-une-entreprise-offshore-a-singapour
In Togo, a new @ICIJorg partner investigated a local company that did business with a Singaporean firm allegedly involved in a raft of dodgy deals. https://cenozo.org/en/articles/251-blanchiment-d-argent-et-financement-du-terrorisme-une-societe-togolaise-en-affaire-avec-une-entreprise-offshore-a-singapour
11/ 
One of the biggest political names in #FinCENFiles was family of former Nigerian vice-president Atiku Abubakar. Dubai home, anyone? @Hazzanjustice
and @PremiumTimesng have more. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/416150-fincen-files-america-places-atiku-wives-under-international-banking-surveillance.html
One of the biggest political names in #FinCENFiles was family of former Nigerian vice-president Atiku Abubakar. Dubai home, anyone? @Hazzanjusticeand @PremiumTimesng have more. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/416150-fincen-files-america-places-atiku-wives-under-international-banking-surveillance.html
12/ 
Ghana is rich in gold but many of its people are poor. @EmmanuelDogbevi found more than $100 million in gold transactions flagged as suspicious by banks. His report also includes one of my favorite #FinCENFiles story quotes https://twitter.com/EmmanuelDogbevi/status/1307730116395532289
Ghana is rich in gold but many of its people are poor. @EmmanuelDogbevi found more than $100 million in gold transactions flagged as suspicious by banks. His report also includes one of my favorite #FinCENFiles story quotes https://twitter.com/EmmanuelDogbevi/status/1307730116395532289
13/ 
Niger has been rocked this year by a procurement scandal. @moussa_aksar found one UK shell company in #FinCENFiles that appears in the Niger probe. He now has the scandal’s definitive report. https://levenementniger.com/niger-malversations-au-ministere-la-defense-71-milliards-de-fcfa-captes-par-des-seigneurs-du-faux/
Niger has been rocked this year by a procurement scandal. @moussa_aksar found one UK shell company in #FinCENFiles that appears in the Niger probe. He now has the scandal’s definitive report. https://levenementniger.com/niger-malversations-au-ministere-la-defense-71-milliards-de-fcfa-captes-par-des-seigneurs-du-faux/
14/ 
A former Burkina Faso singer is tied to an arms firm that dealt with Serbia in a hush-hush deal, @ssawadogo1 shows. This in a country beset by a deadly conflict
https://www.leconomistedufaso.bf/2020/09/21/transaction-bancaire-une-societe-burkinabe-epinglee-par-le-tresor-americain/
Here’s one of the singer’s songs
Thanks to @KRIKrs for help!
A former Burkina Faso singer is tied to an arms firm that dealt with Serbia in a hush-hush deal, @ssawadogo1 shows. This in a country beset by a deadly conflict https://www.leconomistedufaso.bf/2020/09/21/transaction-bancaire-une-societe-burkinabe-epinglee-par-le-tresor-americain/
Here’s one of the singer’s songs
Thanks to @KRIKrs for help!
15/ 
Banks don’t always get it right. @LmnJahateh reveals how global banks in the US really had no idea what was going on in The Gambia.
@LmnJahateh reports. https://cenozo.org/en/articles/239-false-alarm-in-banjul-geographical-proximity-sets-off-financial-red-flag
Banks don’t always get it right. @LmnJahateh reveals how global banks in the US really had no idea what was going on in The Gambia.@LmnJahateh reports. https://cenozo.org/en/articles/239-false-alarm-in-banjul-geographical-proximity-sets-off-financial-red-flag
16/ 
$11 million+ moved between a Liberian gold company whose owner was reportedly arrested last year while boarding a plane carrying gold bars and Kaloti, a Dubai dealer once suspected by US officials of money laundering. Alloycious David reports. https://www.liberianobserver.com/news/from-liberia-with-gold-and-millions-of-usd/
$11 million+ moved between a Liberian gold company whose owner was reportedly arrested last year while boarding a plane carrying gold bars and Kaloti, a Dubai dealer once suspected by US officials of money laundering. Alloycious David reports. https://www.liberianobserver.com/news/from-liberia-with-gold-and-millions-of-usd/
17/ 
Benin emerged as an important country in #FinCENFiles.
A small gold company (that really didn’t want to talk to us!) was a central player in a US investigation into alleged money laundering and drug smuggling, @BanoutoBenin reveals. https://www.banouto.info/article/investigation-reportage/20200920-trafic-d-or-au-benin-enquete-sur-des-liaisons-dangereuses-d-une-societe-a-cotonou
Benin emerged as an important country in #FinCENFiles. A small gold company (that really didn’t want to talk to us!) was a central player in a US investigation into alleged money laundering and drug smuggling, @BanoutoBenin reveals. https://www.banouto.info/article/investigation-reportage/20200920-trafic-d-or-au-benin-enquete-sur-des-liaisons-dangereuses-d-une-societe-a-cotonou
18/ 
Former Dakar mayor and IAAF chair, Lamine Diack, was jailed for corruption last week. @bayemomardieng in Senegal pored found 100 transactions flagged by banks as suspicious – but only after years of allegations of wrongdoing against Diack. https://www.impact.sn/La-connexion-Papa-Massata-Diack-VTB-Bank-revelee-par-FinCEN_a22021.html
Former Dakar mayor and IAAF chair, Lamine Diack, was jailed for corruption last week. @bayemomardieng in Senegal pored found 100 transactions flagged by banks as suspicious – but only after years of allegations of wrongdoing against Diack. https://www.impact.sn/La-connexion-Papa-Massata-Diack-VTB-Bank-revelee-par-FinCEN_a22021.html
19/ These are just some of the #FinCENFiles stories from Africa. More to come from 
NONE would have been told if @BuzzFeedNews @JasonLeopold and @a_cormier_ didn't have the grace and generosity to share documents with @ICIJorg.
NONE would have been told if @BuzzFeedNews @JasonLeopold and @a_cormier_ didn't have the grace and generosity to share documents with @ICIJorg.
20/ Also a huge thank you my @ICIJorg colleagues like @jecosic @SolineLedesert and Ash Guevara who joined me in Cotonou for a #FinCENFiles training (very discreet, of course!) and to colleagues like @amytheblue, @shirafu @KarrieKehoe and @agustin_ICIJ who ALWAYS help out.
