Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos has been charged with 12 crimes, including embezzlement and fraud, by Angola's public prosecutor. The charges relate to her time as chair of a state-owned oil firm, Sonangol, which she ran from 2016 to 2017. Dos Santos is the daughter of former Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos, who led the country for 38 years until he stepped down in 2017. Critics have long claimed she used her position of influence to enrich herself at the expense of the state, allegations she has denied.
Dos Santos has called for the government and the attorney general to take responsibility for the accusations they make, as it is irresponsible to manage a country based on fabricated lies. She has also denied that several of her relatives have been prosecuted under President João Lourenço's presidency on various charges, which they deny.
In 2020, Angolan prosecutors charged Dos Santos with embezzlement and money laundering. In 2022, global police agency Interpol issued a "red notice" for the billionaire, asking global law enforcement authorities to locate and provisionally arrest her. Dos Santos has not been arrested since investigations began but is subject to asset freezes around the world. These restrictions have led to financial struggles, as she cannot manage her accounts to pay for her children's studies, healthcare, or house rent.
The Angolan authorities aim to intimidate Dos Santos from returning to Angola so she is unable to run for political office.
