The UK has joined the US in sanctioning businessman Kamlesh Pattni over his alleged involvement in illicit gold trade.
The UK said illicit gold is an assault on the legitimate trade of a valuable commodity, fuelling corruption, undermining the rule of law, and entrenching human rights abuses such as child labour.
“Today’s (Monday) sanctions will disrupt and deter the illicit gold trade by imposing asset freezes on five individuals, including infamous British-Kenyan gold smuggler Kamlesh Pattni and his enablers,” the UK said.
It alleged that Pattni smuggles illicit gold out of southern Africa for use in money laundering, noting that he was reportedly implicated in the Goldenberg corruption scandal in Kenya in the 1990s.
The UK also pledged to bring forward an ambitious, government-wide anti-corruption strategy in 2025, which will draw on expertise from across government, law enforcement, the private sector, civil society, and academia to develop a single UK response to tackling corruption and ensure that this is reflected in the UK’s diplomatic engagement around the world.
It noted that Monday's sanctions consist of three individuals designated under the UK’s Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions Regulations 2021: Kamlesh Pattni, Alain Goetz and Anto Joseph
It said Pattni is a British-Kenyan businessman who has reportedly used bribery to export gold from southern Africa as a means of laundering dirty money.
Also designated are Pattni’s wife and brother-in-law, whom the UK said "have a long history of involvement in his network of companies.”
The UK said a further individual is designated under the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019:
Goetz is a Belgian gold trader at the head of various gold refineries and companies across Africa.
The UK said Goetz has smuggled illicit gold extracted from mines in the DRC controlled by armed groups that have been involved in serious human rights violations.
Joseph is the CEO and manager of several gold trading companies, including Paloma Precious.
UK claimed Paloma Precious has purchased more than USD 300 million of Russian gold, thereby indirectly providing revenue for the Government of Russia which could be used for the war in Ukraine.
