Dispatches from the Congo: The rise and rise of Dan Gertler
Channel: Peoples Dispatch
Date: 2021-04-24

Dan Gertler, an Israeli billionaire, was slapped with sanctions by the US government under then president Donald Trump in 2017. He stood accused of extensive public corruption in his business dealings in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Days before Trump’s term in office was to end, the same administration granted him relief in the form of a license which allowed him access to previously blocked accounts and to carry out financial transactions. 

Gertler clearly has friends in high places who were able to come rescue him from these sanctions. From officials in the US administration to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, Gertler was able to rally powerful allies to speak on his behalf. All of this begs the question, who is Gertler and what is his history in the DRC?