Gold Mafia Scandal Erupts: Zimbabwe President Inner Circle Implicated in Multi-Billion Dollar Gold Smuggling and Money Laundering Scheme

The ‘Gold Mafia’ scandal, as labeled by global broadcaster Al Jazeera, has sent shockwaves through Zimbabwe, casting a long shadow over President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration. Recent revelations of rampant corruption involving key figures within the President’s inner circle have prompted more than a hundred citizens to voice their deep frustration and dissatisfaction across the President’s social media platforms. This scandal, according to New Zimbabwe, encompasses a series of startling allegations that unmask a network of illicit activities by the President’s closest associates.

Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit, in a series of painstaking investigations, has unveiled a nefarious scheme involving Henrietta Rushwaya, the President’s niece, along with Uebert Angel, the Special Envoy to Europe and the Americas. Further implicated in the massive scandal are benefactors Ewan Macmillan and Simon Rudland. These individuals stand accused of not only depriving Zimbabwe of its precious gold reserves but also of utilizing the gold for the laundering of vast amounts of illicit U.S. dollars on a weekly basis.

In an associated development, the Central Bank of Zimbabwe has taken the drastic step of freezing the assets of four individuals – Cleopas Chidodo, David Chirozvi, Mehlululi Dube, and Fredrick Kunaka. These individuals have publicly admitted to assisting in the operation of an extensive gold smuggling and money laundering ring.

Al Jazeera’s undercover operations have shed light on a criminal enterprise valued at billions of dollars, centered on gold smuggling and money laundering within Zimbabwe. The first episode of Al Jazeera’s documentary series titled ‘Gold Mafia’ has left many viewers astounded. This documentary focuses on Zimbabwe and promises further startling disclosures in upcoming episodes, as per the news network.

Notable figures allegedly involved in the ‘Gold Mafia’ include Kamlesh Pattni, a Kenyan preacher known also as “Brother Paul,” who is accused of smuggling gold out of Zimbabwe. Uebert Angel, one of Zimbabwe’s most influential ambassadors, is accused of abusing his position to facilitate the smuggling of illegal funds into the country. Henrietta Rushwaya, President of Zimbabwe’s Mining Federation and niece of President Mnangagwa, is implicated in purchasing gold for the money laundering operation.

Simon Rudland, a multimillionaire businessman who was identified by the Al Jazeera investigation as the primary financier of the gold smuggling activities in Zimbabwe, has responded to the allegations by demanding an apology from the broadcaster and has intimated intentions to initiate legal proceedings. Uebert Angel has further complicated matters by alleging that Emmerson Junior, Mnangagwa’s son, and the First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa were also implicated during the Al Jazeera investigation. As of now, President Mnangagwa has not issued any public response to these allegations.