The United States has imposed sanctions against a Russian company and a firm from the Central African Republic associated with the activities of the Wagner Group.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's press service reported that
"Those designated sought monetary gain from illicit natural resource extraction and provided material and financial support to the Wagner Group and other organizations associated with the enterprise of Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the former Wagner Group owner who died in August 2023 in a plane explosion in Russia."
Under U.S. sanctions is a timber processing company registered in the capital of the Central African Republic, Bangui, since 2019. The company provided funds to the Wagner Group obtained from the industrial sale of timber from tropical forests in exchange for protection in rebel-held territories.
In addition, the U.S. sanctions were imposed on the Russian company "Broker-Expert," registered in St. Petersburg, which provides brokerage services to companies associated with the Wagner Group in Africa, including Bois Rouge.
"Russia has sought to leverage these Wagner-affiliated companies in its efforts both to secure additional revenue from abroad and to advance its interests in Africa, often at the expense of the host countries, their institutions, and their citizens," said Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Brian Nelson.
He added that "the United States remains focused on disrupting networks that enable Russia's illegal and destabilizing activities in Africa."
