Assets seized from Equatorial Guinea Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, which the U.S. Department of Justice alleged Obiang obtained through corruption will be used for payment of vaccines.
$19.25 million will go to the United Nations to buy COVID-19 vaccines, $6.35 million will pay for medicine and medical supplies for Equatorial Guinea.
The DOJ said Obiang used his position as minister of Agriculture and Forestry in 2011 “to amass more than $300 million worth of assets through corruption and money laundering, in violation of both U.S. and Equatoguinean law.”
In a 2014 settlement agreement, Obiang was required to sell a $30 million mansion in Malibu, California, a Ferrari automobile, and “various items of Michael Jackson memorabilia,” DOJ said.
“As provided in the agreement, $10.3 million of these settlement funds were to be forfeited to the United States, and the remaining settlement funds would be distributed to a charity or other organization for the benefit of the people of Equatorial Guinea,” the DOJ news release said.
France also convicted Obiang for the purchase of luxury properties with illicit funds. He was given a suspended three-year sentence and fined $30 million.