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Congolese Bank Accused of Violating US Sanctions Against Hezbollah

By Valentina Pasquali

A Congolese bank's handling of funds allegedly tied to a U.S.-blacklisted Lebanese-militia in apparent violation of U.S. sanctions highlights the need for global banks to effectively scrutinize their business relationships in high-risk regions, say sources. BGFIBank in the Democratic Republic of the Congo processed U.S. dollar transactions for three Lebanese brothers and several firms they controlled even after they were designated by the U.S. Treasury Department for acting as "top financiers" for Hezbollah, according to a report by the Enough Project, a global advocacy group. In the 43-page report, the group's investigative branch, the Sentry, claims that employees of BGFIBank,...

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