Yahya Jammeh, Corruption, Maryland 2020

Gambia Ex-President's MD Mansion Seized

A multimillion-dollar mansion in Potomac, Maryland, purchased with approximately $3.5 million in alleged corruption proceeds by former President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia, via a trust set up by his wife, Zineb Jammeh, has been forfeited to the United States.

The forfeiture, which resulted from a court-ordered default judgment and final order of forfeiture entered on May 24, was secured by the U.S. government, pursuant to a civil forfeiture complaint filed in July 2020. The complaint alleged that Yahya Jammeh corruptly obtained millions of dollars through the misappropriation of stolen public funds and the solicitation of bribes from businesses seeking to obtain monopoly rights over various sectors of the Gambian economy.

Jammeh conspired with his family members and close associates to utilize a host of shell companies and overseas trusts to launder his alleged corrupt proceeds throughout the world, including through the purchase of the multimillion-dollar mansion in Potomac, Maryland.

The United States intends to sell the property and recommend to the Attorney General that the net proceeds from the sale of the forfeited property be used to benefit the people of The Gambia harmed by former President Jammeh’s acts of corruption and abuse of office.

“Corrupt foreign officials will not be allowed to hide illegal proceeds in Maryland or anywhere else in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland.

The investigation was conducted by HSI’s Illicit Proceeds and Foreign Corruption Investigations Group in Miami, with the assistance of the HSI Office of the Special Agent in Charge for Baltimore, HSI Attaché Office in Dakar, Senegal, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) provided capacity building assistance and mentoring.

The case is being handled by Trial Attorneys Steven Parker and Kaycee Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Wine for the District of Maryland.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/justice-department-secures-forfeiture-maryland-property-purchased-35-million-alleged