The United States has imposed sanctions on 28 individuals and entities linked to a global gold smuggling and money laundering network orchestrated by Kamlesh Pattni, a controversial figure with roots in Kenya.

This action, announced on International Anti-Corruption Day, underscores the ongoing fight against corruption under Executive Order 13818, targeting perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption globally.

Pattni gained infamy during Kenya’s Goldenberg scandal in the 1990s, accused of exploiting export incentives and bribing senior officials. While he denied wrongdoing, he fled the country and shifted his operations to Zimbabwe.

There, he established a similar scheme, allegedly profiting from the export of gold and diamonds while bribing government officials for protection. His network employs trusted associates to mask ownership, leveraging a web of businesses across multiple countries to obscure the illicit activities.

The sanctions freeze U.S.-based assets of Pattni and his associates and prohibit transactions involving them.

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“Corruption respects no borders, and its consequences are felt worldwide,” said Bradley T. Smith, Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) highlighted Pattni’s use of frontmen, facilitators, and couriers, including close associates and family members, to conceal his interests in various companies.

Among these are Sun Multinational DMCC, a United Arab Emirates-based firm tied to his brother-in-law Mukesh Vaya, and other entities linked to his extended network.

This year, the U.S. Treasury has designated over 100 individuals and entities across more than a dozen countries for corruption-related activities, reinforcing its commitment to accountability.

The crackdown on Pattni and his network, which stretches from Africa to the Middle East and beyond, aims to disrupt the exploitation of natural resources by corrupt actors.

Kenya continues to grapple with the fallout of Pattni’s legacy, as his controversial past serves as a stark reminder of the far-reaching impacts of corruption.