The US Justice Department has set its sights on a New York apartment owned by the family of Denis Sassou-Nguesso. A seizure request has been filed following a complaint alleging it to be ill-gotten gains. The property belongs to the daughter of the Congolese president and is strategically located.
This corner apartment spans approximately 160 square meters and is situated within the Trump International Hotel and Tower at Columbus Circle, southwest corner of Central Park. Complete with a spa and swimming pool, it boasts two bedrooms, and floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of the iconic park at the heart of Manhattan.
The federal judicial authorities’ complaint stems from information provided by the anti-corruption non-governmental organization, Global Witness. In 2019, the NGO claimed that the apartment was purchased in 2014 by a Portuguese businessman representing the daughter of the Congolese head of state for $7 million, above the average price of properties in the building.
Although unoccupied since its acquisition, expenses have been paid through accounts located in Luxembourg, Portugal, and the United Arab Emirates. According to the US federal prosecutors’ complaint, “the money used for the property was part of the approximately $19.5 million in Congolese state funds diverted through fictitious contracts, and these diverted funds were used for the personal enrichment of the owner.”