Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos has been hit with a travel ban and asset freeze by the United Kingdom as part of its global anti-corruption sanctions framework, the UK government announced on Thursday.
Dos Santos, Africa’s first female billionaire and daughter of former Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, has faced longstanding corruption allegations both in Angola and internationally. These new sanctions accuse her of misappropriating over £50 million ($63.19 million) during her tenure as the head of Angola’s state oil company, Sonangol, and diverting more than £300 million while managing the telecom firm Unitel.
The UK government’s announcement underscores its ongoing commitment to tackling global corruption. “This sends a clear message: we will pursue those who misuse public funds for personal enrichment,” stated a government spokesperson.
Dos Santos, however, continues to deny all allegations, describing them as a politically motivated vendetta that has resulted in the freezing or confiscation of her assets in Angola and Portugal. In September, she lost a legal appeal in London’s High Court, where Unitel successfully froze up to £580 million ($778 million) of her assets.
Further complicating her legal troubles, Interpol confirmed issuing a red notice for dos Santos in 2022. She reportedly resides in Dubai.
The British government also sanctioned seven additional individuals as part of its broader anti-corruption drive, reinforcing its stance on tackling financial misconduct worldwide.
This latest development deepens the scrutiny on dos Santos, who has long been a symbol of wealth and controversy in Africa’s political and business spheres.