On Wednesday, September 15, 2022, videos were leaked and released to media showing Vidiye Tshimanga, the special strategic advisor to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President, Felix Tshisekedi, offering unlimited access to mineral riches of the country in exchange of bribes and kickbacks, includiing shares in the companies and underhand paybacks, for himself and the president. The videos appeared to be a work of undercover agents targeting the corrupt officials of DRC. Following the releases, Vidiye Tshimanga resigned on Thursday, Sep 16, 2022 morning, a few hours after the videos of his conversations with alleged investors, in which he was demanding bribes, were released.
Based on the leaks, in July 2022, Vidiye Tshimanga, who had travelled to London, UK and was staying in a luxury hotel located in the upscale St. James neighborhood met people, claiming to be business people and investors at Hide, in an elite restaurant. From the restaurant, he had a video call. His trip to London was allegedly paid for by Hong Kong residents, seeking to invest in mining in the DRC.
In the videos, Vidiye Tshimanga, insisting that he is the strategic adviser to Felix Tshisekedi was video recorded saying that while they are working together as investors, he will get his cut. "I will take my share of the investment and that's where I get the money", he said.
He continued, implicating the DRC president Felix Tshisekedi himself, saying that when he asks the President for something, he gives it to him and that reaching him is like reaching the President.
Specifically he said: “If I ask [the president] something, he gives. ...Me, it’s the president. The president doesn’t do any business.”
He continued: “I met [the president] in 2014, and we became very close. He comes in my house, we have dinner together at home, at my place. His wife, she is a very good friend of my wife.”
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To confirm whether Vidiye Tshimanga meant that the current president, Felix Tshisekedi, is involved in the corruption schemes, the alleged investors commented: “Of course, not directly,” and Vidiye Tshimanga nodded.
He then elaborated on the extent of widespread corruption within the DRC government and the use of shell companies around the World to hide money.
He said: “The company will not be under my name, because I’m a PEP. We have trusts that are in Mauritius, we have different ways of doing it, but usually we put names of people that we control in the country. But we run it. We are always — I’m always behind."
Asked to elaborate more on the shell companies, Vidiye Tshimanga confirmed the existence of shell companies and offshore structures in Mauritius, Singapore, the Isle of Man, and Hong Kong, but insisted that he prefers Hong Kong.
Vidiya Tshimanga asked for a personal cut of 20% of the investment funds, to be divided into two parts: 10% to be registered to his offshore company, and the other 10% to his own agent having a Congolese citizenship to abide by the law related to mining in the DRC.
When the videos were leaked, Vidiye Tshimanga quickly resigned. In a the letter he submitted to the President Tshisekedi, and of which AfroAmerica Network has obtained a copy, he said that he made the decision to resign from his duties after thinking about it carefully so that he could show that the accusations against him were fabricated.
According to AfroAmerica Network sources within the DRC Government, the points in the resignation letter appear ridiculous as the videos are self explanatory. DRC President Tshisekedi has also become very angry at his resigning strategic advisor for having been so stupid and quick to disclose the well crafted systemic corruption schemes within the government.
@AfroAmerica Network 2022
