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Dear Supporter,

In an op-ed published in African Arguments, John Prendergast, Co-Founder of The Sentry, and Brian Adeba, Deputy Director of Policy at the Enough Project, argue that the current political context in Sudan offers new hope that the deadlocked status of Abyei can be addressed.

Abyei, a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan, has remained a contentious issue between the two countries since 2011. “In order to move forward, the issue of Abyei’s future requires internationally supported mediation,” note Prendergast and Adeba, who explain how a new approach based on sharing rather than winner-takes-all is needed. They add that “the new political dispensation in Sudan offers both sides a fresh opportunity to discuss Abyei as part of larger efforts to end all conflicts between the two neighbors and prevent future escalations along the border. As well as resolving much uncertainty, this would allow for greater economic cooperation and its associated benefits for both sides.”

Click here to read the full op-ed in African Arguments.

Sincerely,
Josh

Joshua White
Director of Policy and Analysis
Enough Project and The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

How effective are sanctions in advancing national security and foreign policy objectives?

While this basic question has been debated by practitioners and academics, little attention has been paid to the impact of sanctions in sub-Saharan Africa. Our reporting finds that when used strategically and in combination with robust diplomatic efforts, sanctions can be a powerful tool in the international community’s arsenal to address a variety of threats, including armed conflict, corruption, and human rights abuses.

The Sentry’s new report, “Beyond Carrots, Better Sticks: Measuring and Improving the Effectiveness of Sanctions in Africa,” explains that sanctions imposed in support of policy goals in Africa have produced some successes, but are often poorly maintained and in many cases have historically not been expansive enough to make a sizable difference.

The report includes seven case studies in which The Sentry analyzed the development and implementation of strategies to affect a change in behavior by the targeted individuals or governments. It finds that sanctions can be an effective tool for combating problems such as conflict, corruption, and human rights violations, but their use in situations in sub-Saharan Africa have not been well conceived or implemented.

Today, there are 25 active sanctions programs in 11 African countries, and hundreds of individuals, entities, and companies are designated under these programs. Please click here to take a look at our report and find out which programs have been effective, how policymakers measure their success and what the effects have been on the ground.

Sincerely,

Ian Schwab
Director of Advocacy and Impact Strategy
Enough Project

Enough Project and The Sentry Statement:

The latest postponement in South Sudan of the formation of a government of national unity for another 100 days, along with the lack of implementation of key aspects of the peace accord, demonstrates the inadequacy of current efforts to promote peace in the country. Ad hoc emergency diplomacy and vague threats of future consequences will not bring about the full implementation of the peace agreement. Given the monumental failures by the leaders of the South Sudanese government and the opposition, the time has come for a maximum pressure campaign, one that is tied to explicit benchmarks and that will unleash serious consequences for those leaders on both sides who obstruct and do not implement the agreement.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the broader international community should work with the government of South Sudan and the opposition to establish clear benchmarks focused on implementing the provisions of the deal—provisions that must be met before the formation of the unity government on February 12, 2020.

To enforce these benchmarks, the international community, led by the United States, should create a three-month intensive campaign to hold political leaders from both sides accountable and to impose serious consequences on spoilers who do not adhere to the benchmarks required to move the peace agreement forward. The international community should not wait until the deadline to begin taking action. They should track progress and act decisively and strategically to avert missed deadlines, and not simply respond to problems after the fact.

Specifically, governments interested in supporting peace should collaborate in freezing spoilers and their commercial networks out of the global financial system. To enhance impact, network sanctions should be imposed, going beyond the individual peace spoilers to include their companies and commercial partners, both local and international. These, combined with anti-money laundering measures and visa sanctions, will disrupt the intentions of the peace spoilers and send a strong message that there is a price to pay for impunity. Enlisting the support of banks and governments in the region and beyond will be critical both in exerting maximum pressure on South Sudan’s leaders and in achieving peace.

Maximum pressure absent an enhanced diplomatic strategy tied to the use of these financial tools will surely fail to meet the objective of a lasting peace. IGAD and the Troika therefore need to undertake sustained, intensive diplomacy over these next three months and beyond to help the parties find compromises on critical security and governance challenges.

If there are no clear benchmarks for progress established, and no serious consequences for senior officials on both sides who are complicit in obstructing progress, then the likelihood of an eventual return to war will increase exponentially.

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P.S. Read the strong bipartisan Senate letter to Secretary Pompeo. The letter pushes for a high-level envoy and supports Treasury actions to sanction South Sudanese elites and corrupt government officials.

Every day our team works tirelessly to improve the prospects for peace for millions of people in East and Central Africa because we strongly believe that everyone deserves to live in a world free of violence and corruption.

We know that many organizations are competing for your support on this #GivingTuesday and we hope that you will give a gift to support our investigative and advocacy efforts to address the high-level corruption driving war and mass atrocities.

Thanks to you, we’re making significant strides towards changing a corrupt system that incentivizes war over peace.

We are grateful for your support.

Dear Supporter,

The Sentry and Enough Project released a statement calling on the United States to accelerate the ongoing process to remove Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism List and advocating for the use of network sanctions on spoilers undermining peace in the country. This position is based on specific actions taken by the transitional government in Sudan to protect basic human rights, fight corruption, and curb the influence and activities of radical groups that are ideologically aligned with international terrorist organizations.

“Accelerating the process for delisting Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list is not a panacea, but it will help unlock essential financial support and bolster Sudan’s economic prospects… The United States must implement a policy that is nimble and targeted enough to address those seeking to undermine meaningful reforms and engage in violent activity but that also moves away from policies like the SST designation that are too blunt and can act as an impediment to political and economic progress.”

Read our full statement here.

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry and the Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

Thank you for your support and for following our work as we seek to create new leverage for peace, human rights, and good governance. We're always excited to share important news and updates and would like to take this opportunity to learn more about your interests.

Please click here to answer our ten-question survey.

Sincerely,
Ian Schwab
Director of Advocacy and Impact Strategy
Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

When the Enough Project was founded in 2007, our mission was to prevent genocide and mass atrocities. Thanks to your support for our advocacy efforts, we have been able to work toward tangible, positive results for the people of East and Central Africa.

Our dedication is paying off. Just two weeks ago, in an interview with the Atlantic Council, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok of Sudan cited the Enough Project and the Save Darfur movement, noting what an impact their activism had in creating the momentum in Sudan to topple long-time dictator Omar al-Bashir.

This past decade in Sudan has taught us that we can achieve even greater long-term impact if we work to dismantle the financial systems that enable dictators like Bashir to grow and thrive. Our new strategy is to integrate activism and advocacy with hard-hitting investigations and financial tools of pressure. Today, in coordination with our partner organization The Sentry, we are using this unique approach to help prevent conflict and mass atrocities, hold perpetrators to account, and support freedom, peace, and justice.

From today until the end of the year, a group of extremely generous donors has agreed to match every donation we receive so that we can continue, in 2020, to support positive outcomes in East and Central Africa, as we did in Sudan.

The Sentry and the Enough Project remain committed to fighting for human rights, and we know that, with your continued support, we can achieve even more over this next decade. Help make a difference for the people of East and Central Africa by giving a gift today.

Sincerely,
Brad

Brad Brooks-Rubin
Managing Director
The Sentry and the Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

I’ve spent my life's work focused on supporting peace and human rights in areas of Africa affected by devastating conflict. This past year, The Sentry and the Enough Project worked to dismantle financial systems that incentivize war over peace, and we have seen significant strides towards changing corrupt systems.

Our strategy—which integrates activism and advocacy with hard-hitting investigations and financial tools of pressure—enables us to follow the dirty money linked to wars and mass atrocities. We uncover and deliver evidence to law enforcement, regulatory bodies, and banks in the US and around the world, exposing and shutting down the thieves of state. As a result of our investigations and reports, we are seeing real pressure applied through concrete measures to bring peace and stability to East and Central Africa:

• The U.S. Treasury Department has placed sanctions on Al-Cardinal and multiple other individuals and entities who have perpetuated conflict in East and Central Africa.
• Several banks have taken punitive action against corrupt individuals and organizations in Congo and elsewhere in the region.
• The Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda was sentenced by the International Criminal Court for the most extensive pillage conviction to date, establishing accountability for trading in conflict minerals.

We’ve accomplished a great deal over the past year, but there is still a tremendous amount of work ahead. With your help, we can continue to expand our investigations and work to prevent conflict and mass atrocities.

Until midnight tonight, all donations will be matched, thanks to a group of generous donors. Support us today, have your gift matched, and help make a difference in the lives of millions of innocent people across Africa.

Thank you for your generosity and compassion throughout the year.

Warm wishes for a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of the Sentry and the Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

I’ve spent my life's work focused on supporting peace and human rights in areas of Africa affected by devastating conflict. It has taken decades, but I finally feel like that work is getting at the deepest CAUSES of these conflicts, rather than simply treating symptoms. As a result, the Sentry and the Enough Project are working hand-in-hand to dismantle financial systems that incentivize war over peace, and we have seen the beginnings of true progress towards changing corrupt systems.

Our strategy involves hard-hitting financial investigations of the dirty money linked to wars and mass atrocities, and feeding the investigative results into grassroots activism and high-level advocacy in support of financial tools of pressure aimed at promoting peace and countering human rights crimes. We uncover and deliver evidence to law enforcement, regulatory bodies, and banks in the US and around the world, exposing and shutting down the thieves of state. As a result of our investigations and reports, we are seeing real pressure applied through concrete measures to bring peace and stability to East and Central Africa:

• The U.S. Treasury Department has placed sanctions not just on individuals responsible for looting and violence, but also on their networks of companies and facilitators who are profiting from the human misery and absence of rule of law.
• Major global banks are taking punitive action against corrupt individuals and companies throughout our region of concern.
• The Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda was sentenced by the International Criminal Court for the most extensive pillage conviction to date, establishing accountability for trading in conflict minerals.

We’ve accomplished a great deal over the past year, but there is still a tremendous amount of work ahead. With your help, we can continue to expand our investigations and work to prevent conflict and mass atrocities.

Until midnight tonight, all donations will be matched, thanks to a group of generous donors. Support us today, have your gift matched, and help make a difference in the lives of millions of innocent people across Africa.

Thank you for your generosity and compassion throughout the year.

Warm wishes for a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of the Sentry and the Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

In a new op-ed published in Just Security, The Sentry’s anti-money laundering advisor Hilary Mossberg and co-founder John Prendergast explore the myths around removing Sudan from the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list. They argue that while the US government should accelerate the process of removal, that alone will not be a panacea to immediately improve Sudan's economy.

Prendergast and Mossberg outline several meaningful reforms that must occur in conjunction with delisting in order to achieve a successful economic recovery in Sudan. They write, “There are ways to achieve the goals Sudan’s pro-democracy forces have set for their country, but it will require multiple, methodical steps by both Sudan and the United States.”

To read the full op-ed and find out what those steps are, please click here.

Sincerely,

Ian Schwab
Director of Advocacy and Impact Strategy
Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

The Sentry released its first investigative report on Sudan today, Loan Wolves: Debt Scams Threaten Sudan’s Democratic Transition and Fragile Economy.

Although the government has since changed over, and the new civilian-led government has taken significant action to fight corruption, the findings of this investigation remain highly relevant. Sudan’s transition is still fragile. Many of the people and institutions responsible for damaging the economy during Bashir’s regime have survived his fall. Some are even part of the transitional government’s institutions. Without a variety of essential economic, anti-money laundering, and anticorruption reforms, potential spoilers from Bashir’s network may yet threaten to undermine the progress achieved.

Under Bashir, elaborately constructed schemes allowed Sudan’s kleptocrats to privatize entire sectors of the national economy for the benefit of themselves and their families. Their hijacking of Sudan’s resources deprived the population of vital development and social services.

You can read the full report or a summary here.

Sincerely,

Ian Schwab
Director of Advocacy and Impact Strategy
Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

Last week, The Wilson Center published the paper “Targeted Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Measures in Support of Peace in South Sudan,” authored by The Sentry''s Co-Founder John Prendergast, Director of Illicit Finance Policy Hilary Mossberg, and Deputy Director of Illicit Finance Policy Megha Swamy.

Sanctions have been used as a tool of foreign policy to address the crisis in South Sudan, and their use has spawned considerable debate. In February, the Wilson Center published a piece that challenged the effectiveness of sanctions in the case of South Sudan. In the follow-up paper published on Thursday, The Sentry''s authors provide a counter argument, highlighting the innovative nature of targeted network sanctions and other financial pressure tools taken to address the South Sudan crisis, and the positive role that they played in bringing about an end to the civil war.

The authors note: “In South Sudan, targeted network sanctions, robust anti-money laundering efforts, bank enforcement actions, asset forfeiture measures, and other financial pressures have built leverage needed for diplomatic efforts to move the parties to form the unity government and take halting steps towards peace.” They conclude that targeted network sanctions can serve as a key part of a comprehensive diplomatic and financial pressure strategy to realize peace, protect human rights, and fight corruption.

To read the full paper, please click here. 

Sincerely,

Brian Adeba
Deputy Director of Policy
The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

Shutting down the flow of dirty money and dismantling the corrupt networks responsible for atrocities and financial crimes in East and Central Africa is the only way we can achieve long-lasting peace and prosperity in the region.

As you know, The Sentry conducts in-depth investigations that produce hard-hitting evidence of large-scale corruption. Less visible—but at least as important—are our experts who lead the charge behind the scenes, directly engaging governments, banks, and financial regulators to enact reforms and take targeted action to dismantle systems of corruption.

Last week, for example, Reuters reported that the world''s preeminent gold market authority, the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), has taken the unprecedented step of threatening to cut off Dubai and other world gold centers unless they clean up their practices on conflict gold. The Sentry was quoted by Reuters and other outlets, including the BBC and the Financial Times, in stories covering this news. Gold continues to fuel armed conflict and corruption in East and Central Africa, and an estimated 95% of gold from the region—worth more than $3 billion per year—is exported to Dubai, where policy and regulatory loopholes allow the conflict gold trade to flourish. This is the first time that the industry has followed through on using its leverage in engaging Dubai, a major step toward addressing supply chain risks and stopping the illicit trade in conflict gold.

The Sentry has been, and continues to be, in close dialogue with the LBMA on this issue, briefing the association on money laundering risks in the gold trade and participating in seminars and discussions with industry stakeholders, including an upcoming event on Tuesday, November 24. Our main findings and recommendations on the issue have also been published in a new advisory, which is an important tool for further policy engagement across the banking, electronics, automotive, and other related industries.

Your support enables our policy teams to continue making sure that The Sentry’s investigations don’t just grab headlines, but that they translate into action and tangible consequences for corrupt leaders in East and Central Africa and their illicit networks around the world.

Thank you for your support.

Brad Brooks-Rubin
Managing Director

Dear Supporter,

At a time when South Sudan''s government most needs to generate resources for urgent public health-related challenges, including COVID-19, one of its promising revenue streams is beset by mismanagement and corruption.

South Sudan’s rapidly developing mining industry could serve as a major boon to the country’s economy. Instead, corrupt actors have exploited weak transparency and accountability frameworks to hijack the extractives sector. "Untapped and Unprepared," The Sentry''s latest report in its investigative series "The Taking of South Sudan," shows how opaque corporate landscapes and procurement processes can disproportionately benefit the country’s ruling clique and undermine scrutiny of possible misconduct.

Relatives and close associates of the president, former vice president, and lawmakers have held shares in companies with active exploration licenses without having to disclose their involvement. The military has developed mining interests in an effort to address budgetary shortfalls. Children have been identified as shareholders in two companies actively exploring for gold, a possible contravention of the 2012 Mining Act. Opposition groups profit from controlling artisanal mining sites, and widespread insecurity raises the potential for the same kind of resource-fueled conflict that has ravaged the oil sector.

To read the one-page summary or full report of Untapped and Unprepared: Dirty Deals Threaten South Sudan’s Mining Sector, please click here.

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

Killer Corruption, a new op-ed by The Sentry’s Co-Founder John Prendergast published today in Project Syndicate, warns that the failure to fight corruption during the COVID-19 pandemic could undermine urgent response efforts. John details how to protect billions of dollars that are now being deployed across Africa to provide care and save lives.

“During a pandemic, there is a temptation to focus solely on protecting public health and fostering economic recovery. But failure to continue – and even intensify – the fight against corruption could severely undermine those efforts. Only by implementing credible consequences for corrupt-related disruption of COVID-19 responses can we ensure that government officials and business elites respond to the urgent needs of people, rather than profiting from their misery.”

I encourage you to read and share Killer Corruption.

Sincerely,
Brad Brooks-Rubin
Managing Director

Dear Supporter,

Today, people everywhere are coming together to join a worldwide grassroots movement by participating in #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving back. If this difficult and unprecedented year has shown us anything, it’s that we all need to work together, because together we can do extraordinary things.

The Sentry follows the dirty money that is fueling East and Central Africa’s most deadly wars. By disrupting this vicious cycle of corruption and conflict, we can help these communities heal and put their leaders on a path towards peace.

We hope that you will join us and give a gift today. Your support helps The Sentry shine a spotlight on corruption and lead the charge for systemic change in pursuit of lasting peace.

Thank you,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry
Founding Director of the Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

Yesterday, The Sentry published an op-ed in Just Security, “Shoring up Sanctions Enforcement in Sub-Saharan Africa: A North Korea Case Study.” In it, The Sentry’s Deputy Director of Illicit Finance Policy Megha Swamy explains how weak sanctions enforcement at the local and regional level, along with a lack of regulatory support, can open the door for sanctions-busting by nefarious actors—as highlighted in our recent report on North Korean activity in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Swamy argues that “The U.N., U.S., EU, and other international bodies...should play a stronger role in building capacity and assisting countries in sub-Saharan Africa in creating a more robust and independent regulatory and compliance environment.”

Read the full op-ed in Just Security. And if you’d like to learn more about sanctions evasion in sub-Saharan Africa, join us tomorrow for a live, virtual event with the Atlantic Council: “Sanctions-busting in the DRC.”

Sincerely,

Hilary Mossberg
Director of Illicit Finance Policy
The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

Today, people everywhere are coming together to join a worldwide grassroots movement by participating in #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving back. If this difficult and unprecedented year has shown us anything, it’s that we all need to work together, because together we can do extraordinary things.

The Sentry follows the dirty money that is fueling East and Central Africa’s most deadly wars. By disrupting this vicious cycle of corruption and conflict, we can help these communities heal and put their leaders on a path towards peace.

We hope that you will join us and give a gift today. Your support helps The Sentry shine a spotlight on corruption and lead the charge for systemic change in pursuit of lasting peace.

Thank you,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry
Founding Director of the Enough Project

This op-ed is also available in French, Arabic, and Portuguese on the Project Syndicate website.

Dear Supporter,

This week, as The Sentry sheds light on this critical moment in the Central African Republic, we’re sharing with you an op-ed authored by our Co-Founder John Prendergast and Senior Investigator Nathalia Dukhan. Published yesterday by Project Syndicate, “Justice in a Hijacked State” poses the question:

“In a country that has known only impunity since its founding, where the state has been transformed into a murderous machine of plunder, can justice be served?”

What does justice look like for two women, Marie and Adjara, who share similar experiences on opposite sides of a splintered war zone? And what does justice entail in a state besieged by a multitude of violent and corrupt actors? Prendergast and Dukhan make the case that justice can be served, but that it requires replacing carrots with sticks.

Freezing war profiteers and members of criminal organizations out of the international financial system, pursuing criminal justice through the International Criminal Court and Special Criminal Court, levying tools of financial pressure against those involved in aid theft and diversion, and shutting down spoilers of peace are just some of the ways that justice can be sought. In all its forms, though, justice in CAR “would provide leverage for those attempting to achieve peace, promote good governance, and protect human rights.”

Peace should no longer be stolen. Read the full op-ed with all of The Sentry’s recommendations on how to help advance justice in CAR, and stay tuned for more updates coming this week.

Sincerely,

Brad Brooks-Rubin
Managing Director
The Sentry

***

The Sentry would like to thank the Nationale Postcode Loterij, Players of People''s Postcode Lottery, Clooney Foundation for Justice, The Giustra International Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, whose support contributes to our CAR program. We are grateful for the support we receive from all our donors.

To learn more about all of The Sentry’s funders, please visit The Sentry website at www.thesentry.org/about

SANCTIONS-BUSTING IN THE DRC

The Sentry''s latest report, “Overt Affairs,” documents how two North Korean businessmen openly busted international sanctions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The activity that was exposed in the report should have been stopped by private and public institutions within the DRC, and the failure to do so not only puts the DRC’s banking sector and broader economy in significant danger, but it can also have global implications by undermining the effectiveness of international sanctions programs and the integrity of the international financial system.

Please join us on Thursday, September 3, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT) for a virtual conversation on North Korean sanctions-busting in the DRC. This event will be hosted by the Atlantic Council in partnership with The Sentry. The conversation will feature a panel with counter-proliferation finance analyst Ms. Darya Dolzikova and DRC expert Dr. Pierre Englebert, with moderation by Africa Center Director of Programs and Studies Ms. Bronwyn Bruton, and an introduction to the report by The Sentry’s Senior Investigator Mr. John Dell’Osso. Additional speakers will be added to the event page once confirmed. This live conversation will take place via Zoom and requires registration. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join.

REGISTER FOR THE EVENT

Date and time: Thursday, September 3, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT

Featuring:

Ms. Darya Dolzikova, Research Analyst, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Programme, Royal United Services Institute

Dr. Pierre Englebert, H. Russell Smith Professor of International Relations, Pomona College; Senior Fellow, Africa Center, Atlantic Council

In conversation with:

Ms. Bronwyn Bruton, Director of Programs and Studies, Africa Center, Atlantic Council

With remarks from:

Mr. John Dell’Osso, Senior Investigator, The Sentry

For more information, visit the event page. For any questions or concerns, please email michaela@thesentry.org.

Dear Supporter,

Killer Corruption, a new op-ed by The Sentry’s Co-Founder John Prendergast published today in Project Syndicate, warns that the failure to fight corruption during the COVID-19 pandemic could undermine urgent response efforts. John details how to protect billions of dollars that are now being deployed across Africa to provide care and save lives.

“During a pandemic, there is a temptation to focus solely on protecting public health and fostering economic recovery. But failure to continue – and even intensify – the fight against corruption could severely undermine those efforts. Only by implementing credible consequences for corrupt-related disruption of COVID-19 responses can we ensure that government officials and business elites respond to the urgent needs of people, rather than profiting from their misery.”

I encourage you to read and share Killer Corruption.

Sincerely,
Brad Brooks-Rubin
Managing Director

Dear Supporter,

We know that as long as corrupt officials, warlords, and predatory foreign forces profit from the war economy in the Central African Republic (CAR), they will reject peace. For this reason, we are laser focused on finding strategic ways to enact meaningful change in the region.

This week, we convened concerned constituents and engaged with policymakers to change the narrative and propose new solutions to address the complex crisis in CAR. Our goal is to expose the foreign interests fueling a conflict that is killing thousands and to advocate for the use of financial tools of pressure and hard-hitting actions by governments and the banking sector to create new leverage for peace.

In a series of briefings, videos, and op-eds, including this latest piece published by the Atlantic Council, The Sentry has shown how, with elections just two months away, France and Russia are interfering in CAR’s domestic politics, sowing conflict in a competition to gain geostrategic advantage and strip the country of its natural resources. This dynamic has turned the country into a silent, devastating proxy war fought between pro-French and pro-Russian actors and a breeding ground for organized crime and terror financing. Sadly, we have seen this movie before: if left unchecked, these illicit activities will have dangerous consequences for communities not just in CAR, but around the world.

The Sentry and the Open Square Project strongly believe that power should be shared, not hoarded or consolidated, and we are committed to working closely together to build equality around the world. Thanks to our partnership, The Sentry will continue to shine a spotlight on war profiteers, both foreign and domestic, in CAR and across the region. We hope that you will join us by sharing this important content and engaging with us on our future work in the region.

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder, The Sentry

Wynnette LaBrosse
President and Founder, Open Square Project

***

The Sentry would like to thank the Nationale Postcode Loterij, Players of People''s Postcode Lottery, Clooney Foundation for Justice, The Giustra International Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, whose support contributes to our CAR program. We are grateful for the support we receive from all our donors.

To learn more about all of The Sentry’s funders, please visit The Sentry website at www.thesentry.org/about

Dear Supporter,

Today The Sentry published its first anti-money laundering advisory, “Looted Resources Used to Buy African Real Estate.” The advisory highlights the risks to cities in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nairobi, Kampala, Windhoek, Cape Town, and Johannesburg, where kleptocrats have exploited the real estate sector as a means for laundering the proceeds of corruption. The advisory details specific red flags and examples of the money laundering techniques seen in these areas, and it provides recommendations to banks, governments, and those working in the real estate sector on how to address these risks and stem the flow of illicit finance.

This advisory is just the first money laundering risk advisory you will see from The Sentry. Using our data and analysis, The Sentry’s advisories will issue specific, actionable information to the public and private sectors. Similar to publications issued by the US Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the UK’s National Crime Agency, The Sentry’s advisories will contain useful information like typologies, red flags, and guidance on mitigating specific risks. This type of highly targeted and detailed information is useful for banks and important in the global effort to combat illicit finance.

Read The Sentry’s advisory on risks to the real estate sector in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sincerely,

Hilary Mossberg
Director of Illicit Finance Policy
The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

Upon the passing of Congressman John Lewis, the Equal Justice Initiative''s Bryan Stevenson observed, "No one did more to improve the justice quotient in America over the last 60 years than John Lewis." I had the honor of spending time with Congressman Lewis in a couple memorable circumstances, described here in this essay for The Hill.

Two rare moments with John Lewis

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder, The Sentry
Founding Director, Enough Project

This op-ed is also available in French, Arabic, and Portuguese on the Project Syndicate website.

Dear Supporter,

This week, as The Sentry sheds light on this critical moment in the Central African Republic, we’re sharing with you an op-ed authored by our Co-Founder John Prendergast and Senior Investigator Nathalia Dukhan. Published yesterday by Project Syndicate, “Justice in a Hijacked State” poses the question:

“In a country that has known only impunity since its founding, where the state has been transformed into a murderous machine of plunder, can justice be served?”

What does justice look like for two women, Marie and Adjara, who share similar experiences on opposite sides of a splintered war zone? And what does justice entail in a state besieged by a multitude of violent and corrupt actors? Prendergast and Dukhan make the case that justice can be served, but that it requires replacing carrots with sticks.

Freezing war profiteers and members of criminal organizations out of the international financial system, pursuing criminal justice through the International Criminal Court and Special Criminal Court, levying tools of financial pressure against those involved in aid theft and diversion, and shutting down spoilers of peace are just some of the ways that justice can be sought. In all its forms, though, justice in CAR “would provide leverage for those attempting to achieve peace, promote good governance, and protect human rights.”

Peace should no longer be stolen. Read the full op-ed with all of The Sentry’s recommendations on how to help advance justice in CAR, and stay tuned for more updates coming this week.

Sincerely,

Brad Brooks-Rubin
Managing Director
The Sentry

***

The Sentry would like to thank the Nationale Postcode Loterij, Players of People''s Postcode Lottery, Clooney Foundation for Justice, The Giustra International Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, whose support contributes to our CAR program. We are grateful for the support we receive from all our donors.

To learn more about all of The Sentry’s funders, please visit The Sentry website at www.thesentry.org/about

Dear Supporter,

There are approximately 700 military figures with the rank of general in South Sudan—about three times as many generals as physicians. Perhaps unsurprisingly, doctors have struggled to keep pace with the flood of victims of armed conflict over the past decade, and they are struggling now to deal with COVID-19.

Many of these generals have abused their position to accumulate wealth far exceeding what their salaries would allow, thanks to South Sudan’s corrupt system of patronage. The Sentry’s latest investigative report, "Making a Killing," reveals numerous examples of corrupt activities and money laundering at the top echelons of the military and the armed opposition. Documents reviewed by The Sentry indicate that companies affiliated with some current and former military leaders received major state contracts or preferential access to foreign currency.

The evidence we have gathered implicates a number of men who were in positions of authority when massive human rights violations were committed, starting with the mass killings in Juba in December 2013 that launched the long and bloody civil war. Our report details the corporate holdings and unexplained wealth of four former army chiefs of staff and four other top-ranking military leaders. Investigations also highlighted several leaders of armed militias reportedly involved in major instances of violence both before and during the civil war. These individuals exploited their positions of power and access to influential networks for financial benefit, ultimately depleting state coffers and weakening institutions with little accountability.

This report, the fourth in the series on "The Taking of South Sudan," is an important piece of our efforts to expose corruption among South Sudan’s military and political leaders and help push for major reforms aimed at dismantling the country’s kleptocratic system.

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder, The Sentry
Founding Director, Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

Today The Sentry published its first anti-money laundering advisory, “Looted Resources Used to Buy African Real Estate.” The advisory highlights the risks to cities in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nairobi, Kampala, Windhoek, Cape Town, and Johannesburg, where kleptocrats have exploited the real estate sector as a means for laundering the proceeds of corruption. The advisory details specific red flags and examples of the money laundering techniques seen in these areas, and it provides recommendations to banks, governments, and those working in the real estate sector on how to address these risks and stem the flow of illicit finance.

This advisory is just the first money laundering risk advisory you will see from The Sentry. Using our data and analysis, The Sentry’s advisories will issue specific, actionable information to the public and private sectors. Similar to publications issued by the US Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the UK’s National Crime Agency, The Sentry’s advisories will contain useful information like typologies, red flags, and guidance on mitigating specific risks. This type of highly targeted and detailed information is useful for banks and important in the global effort to combat illicit finance.

Read The Sentry’s advisory on risks to the real estate sector in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sincerely,

Hilary Mossberg
Director of Illicit Finance Policy
The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a hijacked country at the heart of an intense power struggle between France and Russia, with corrupt officials, warlords, and their international partners competing for control of the state and the country’s resources. Starting today and over the course of this week, we’re going to bring you a series of products that will deepen your understanding of how a country can get to such a point, and how you can support change there. Since 2012, sectarian violence has killed thousands and forced more than a million Central Africans to flee their homes. Because CAR is overlooked on the international stage, this week The Sentry will shine a light on the forces at play and what those with influence can do about it. 

For a two-minute overview of the current situation in CAR, watch the video above.

Also, The Sentry’s latest briefing, “State of Prey: Proxies, Predators, and Profiteers in the Central African Republic,” details how high-level corruption and predatory foreign forces have turned CAR into a breeding ground for organized crime and terror financing. Money laundering and trafficking in gold, diamonds, drugs, weapons, and diplomatic passports have proliferated, and COVID-19 is being exploited for political gain. At the same time, the country’s armed conflict has evolved into a violent proxy war between pro-French and pro-Russian actors. With presidential elections just two months away, CAR is on the precipice of an even deeper crisis, with implications far beyond its borders.

So long as the driving forces behind the violence and corruption in CAR remain hidden in the shadows, nothing will change. In order to advance peace, The Sentry is committed to exposing the foreign interests fueling violence in CAR and to pushing the international community to take action.

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry

***

The Sentry would like to thank the Nationale Postcode Loterij, Players of People''s Postcode Lottery, Clooney Foundation for Justice, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, whose support contributes to our CAR program. We are grateful for the support we receive from all our donors.

To learn more about all of The Sentry’s funders, please visit The Sentry website at www.thesentry.org/about

Dear Supporter,

Yesterday, The Sentry published an op-ed in Just Security, “Shoring up Sanctions Enforcement in Sub-Saharan Africa: A North Korea Case Study.” In it, The Sentry’s Deputy Director of Illicit Finance Policy Megha Swamy explains how weak sanctions enforcement at the local and regional level, along with a lack of regulatory support, can open the door for sanctions-busting by nefarious actors—as highlighted in our recent report on North Korean activity in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Swamy argues that “The U.N., U.S., EU, and other international bodies...should play a stronger role in building capacity and assisting countries in sub-Saharan Africa in creating a more robust and independent regulatory and compliance environment.”

Read the full op-ed in Just Security. And if you’d like to learn more about sanctions evasion in sub-Saharan Africa, join us tomorrow for a live, virtual event with the Atlantic Council: “Sanctions-busting in the DRC.”

Sincerely,

Hilary Mossberg
Director of Illicit Finance Policy
The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

I hope this email finds you well and safe. While everyone''s thoughts are of course on the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact, we wanted to provide a bit of a break with the just published 2020 Lemkin Summit blog.

The fifth year of the Lemkin Summit to End Genocide and Mass Atrocities brought together activists and student leaders from 27 US States and across the world. The Summit featured expert panels and guest speakers, including the 28th US Permanent Representative to the United Nations and member of President Obama’s cabinet, Samantha Power, as well as a graceful performance by Darfuri activist, poet, and author, Emi Mahmoud. The Summit culminated with almost 100 constituent meetings on Capitol Hill.

Read more about this powerful experience in our blog.

Sincerely,

Ian Schwab
Director of Advocacy and Impact Strategy

Dear Supporter,

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten and reshape our global economy, there are many uncertainties that lie ahead. One thing we can count on, though, is that corruption will continue to plague some of the world’s most vulnerable economies. Keeping a spotlight on corrupt actors and analyzing the impact of financial tools of pressure, specifically targeted network sanctions, remains at the forefront of The Sentry’s work. Today, The Sentry examined the use of these sanctions in two different pieces: a policy brief, and an op-ed published in Haaretz.

In the brief “Targeted Network Sanctions in Africa and the COVID-19 Pandemic,” The Sentry''s Hilary Mossberg elucidates the differences between targeted network sanctions and broader, comprehensive sanctions programs, and the intentions and ramifications of each. The brief comes in response to recent calls to ease sanctions around the world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, an action that The Sentry argues would be counterproductive in cases of targeted network sanctions. In order to tackle this outbreak, it is more important than ever to ensure that vital resources and assistance are neither diverted nor delayed by corrupt actors–activities that targeted network sanctions help to deter. As a result, removing targeted network sanctions in countries rife with corruption would undermine efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read The Sentry’s brief on targeted network sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sentry’s op-ed in Haaretz, “Is an Israeli Diamond Tycoon Using Trump-adjacent Lobbyists to Subvert U.S. Foreign Policy?,” also analyzes the efficacy of sanctions, specifically those related to Israeli business tycoon Dan Gertler and corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Sentry''s John Prendergast and Sasha Lezhnev warn that Gertler, sanctioned by the US for his involvement in grand corruption, is actively attempting to dodge those sanctions and continue looting the DRC of its natural resources. They caution that, unless the US closes these gaps and doubles down on its sanctions, Gertler and his cronies will seriously undermine US anti-corruption efforts.

Read The Sentry’s op-ed on US sanctions on Dan Gertler.

Sincerely,
Brad Brooks-Rubin
Managing Director

Dear Friends of The Sentry and Enough Project,

I hope you, your families, and other loved ones are safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is very much a global crisis, but in the East and Central African countries in which we work, millions of people, particularly in refugee and internally displaced camps and in urban centers, are facing additional vulnerabilities that could make the impact of the virus catastrophic.

But the virus isn’t the only potential killer. Corruption and profiteering could undermine all the efforts to combat the pandemic and save lives. Throughout war-torn East and Central Africa, governments have been hijacked by a small cabal of officials and their commercial collaborators in order to loot the assets of their countries. No natural resource and no sector of the economy is spared. This is particularly and painfully true as it pertains to public health. Our investigations are documenting networks that have plundered healthcare systems and gutted hospitals and clinics. Medicines are stolen, contracts are riddled with fraud, and government budgets are diverted to private accounts.

Today, our investigative team is working to shine a light on corrupt networks while the crimes are being committed. We’ll continue to expose the corruption that will—if left unchecked—devastate lifesaving efforts and leave millions to die. The state looters and their international accomplices need to know that they’re being watched and investigated. They need to know that banks and governments around the world will find, freeze, and seize their ill-gotten gains.

Together, we need to ensure that humanitarian assistance is galvanized for the COVID-19 response in Africa, that public health resources are spent properly, that health systems respond robustly, and that governing institutions serve the interests of the people, not just the guys with the biggest guns and bank accounts. Profiteers, and the kleptocratic systems that allow greed-fueled criminal operations to thrive, will undermine efforts to stop this pandemic and save lives. These are the threats that The Sentry is countering.

As has been often said, sunlight is the best disinfectant. That phrase has multiple meanings in today’s context and rings truer than ever. You can be assured that The Sentry will continue its work to investigate, expose, and help create consequences for the greed-driven leaders and business networks that fuel and profit from human suffering.

We are deeply grateful for your belief in our work and for all the support you’ve given us.

In solidarity during these challenging times,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

The Central African Republic (CAR) is a hijacked country at the heart of an intense power struggle between France and Russia, with corrupt officials, warlords, and their international partners competing for control of the state and the country’s resources. Starting today and over the course of this week, we’re going to bring you a series of products that will deepen your understanding of how a country can get to such a point, and how you can support change there. Since 2012, sectarian violence has killed thousands and forced more than a million Central Africans to flee their homes. Because CAR is overlooked on the international stage, this week The Sentry will shine a light on the forces at play and what those with influence can do about it. 

For a two-minute overview of the current situation in CAR, watch the video above.

Also, The Sentry’s latest briefing, “State of Prey: Proxies, Predators, and Profiteers in the Central African Republic,” details how high-level corruption and predatory foreign forces have turned CAR into a breeding ground for organized crime and terror financing. Money laundering and trafficking in gold, diamonds, drugs, weapons, and diplomatic passports have proliferated, and COVID-19 is being exploited for political gain. At the same time, the country’s armed conflict has evolved into a violent proxy war between pro-French and pro-Russian actors. With presidential elections just two months away, CAR is on the precipice of an even deeper crisis, with implications far beyond its borders.

So long as the driving forces behind the violence and corruption in CAR remain hidden in the shadows, nothing will change. In order to advance peace, The Sentry is committed to exposing the foreign interests fueling violence in CAR and to pushing the international community to take action.

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry

***

The Sentry would like to thank the Nationale Postcode Loterij, Players of People''s Postcode Lottery, Clooney Foundation for Justice, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, whose support contributes to our CAR program. We are grateful for the support we receive from all our donors.

To learn more about all of The Sentry’s funders, please visit The Sentry website at www.thesentry.org/about

Dear Supporter,

This morning, in the spirit of the year-end holidays, I just want to take a moment to thank you for supporting our work. Thank you for reading our reports, for telling your friends and family about our work, and thank you, above all, for investing in The Sentry’s mission.

Thank you and happy holidays,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry
Founding Director of the Enough Project

SANCTIONS-BUSTING IN THE DRC

The Sentry''s latest report, “Overt Affairs,” documents how two North Korean businessmen openly busted international sanctions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The activity that was exposed in the report should have been stopped by private and public institutions within the DRC, and the failure to do so not only puts the DRC’s banking sector and broader economy in significant danger, but it can also have global implications by undermining the effectiveness of international sanctions programs and the integrity of the international financial system.

Please join us on Thursday, September 3, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT) for a virtual conversation on North Korean sanctions-busting in the DRC. This event will be hosted by the Atlantic Council in partnership with The Sentry. The conversation will feature a panel with counter-proliferation finance analyst Ms. Darya Dolzikova and DRC expert Dr. Pierre Englebert, with moderation by Africa Center Director of Programs and Studies Ms. Bronwyn Bruton, and an introduction to the report by The Sentry’s Senior Investigator Mr. John Dell’Osso. Additional speakers will be added to the event page once confirmed. This live conversation will take place via Zoom and requires registration. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join.

REGISTER FOR THE EVENT

Date and time: Thursday, September 3, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT

Featuring:

Ms. Darya Dolzikova, Research Analyst, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Programme, Royal United Services Institute

Dr. Pierre Englebert, H. Russell Smith Professor of International Relations, Pomona College; Senior Fellow, Africa Center, Atlantic Council

In conversation with:

Ms. Bronwyn Bruton, Director of Programs and Studies, Africa Center, Atlantic Council

With remarks from:

Mr. John Dell’Osso, Senior Investigator, The Sentry

For more information, visit the event page. For any questions or concerns, please email michaela@thesentry.org.

Dear Friend,

Today, people all around the world are coming together to tap into the power of human connection and to strengthen communities at the grassroots level by participating in #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of unity.

In this time of uncertainty, there''s a fundamental truth that gives us hope—that together we can do extraordinary things. Over the past few weeks and months, the entire world has been coming together to stand up, help out, give back, and heal. Whether by making donations to community organizations, celebrating doctors and nurses at shift changes, or reaching out to a neighbor to help with groceries, people have shown incredible generosity in helping one another get through this global pandemic.

Communities in East and Central Africa face the new coronavirus with public healthcare systems that have been systematically looted for many years. And while vital resources are being mobilized to tackle the pandemic, corrupt actors in the region will see this as a new opportunity to line their own pockets. Without transparency or accountability for such greed, mass corruption could fatally undermine the pandemic response.

To help save lives, it is more important than ever for The Sentry’s investigators to shine a light on such corruption. We are tracking public health budgets and documenting fraudulent procurement contracts. Our goal is to ensure that public health resources are spent properly, that health systems respond robustly, and that governing institutions serve the interests of the people, not just the guys with the biggest guns and bank accounts.

We hope that you will join us and participate in #GivingTuesdayNow. Your gift will help The Sentry continue to keep a spotlight on corrupt actors and create tangible consequences for their greed.

Sincerely,
Brad Brooks-Rubin
Managing Director

Dear Supporter,

Today the Enough Project released a new report, “The Criminalization of South Sudan’s Gold Sector,” exploring how weak transparency and accountability frameworks leave South Sudan''s gold sector vulnerable to exploitation. Looking at the gold-rich Eastern Equatoria region, the report reveals how poor infrastructure, inefficient regulation, and political infighting have helped make artisanal and small-scale gold mining an ideal target for capture by those who seek to finance armed groups, perpetrate violence, and exacerbate divisions.

This new report offers background and context to last week’s investigative report by The Sentry into South Sudan’s burgeoning mining sector. "Untapped and Unprepared," the latest report in the series "The Taking of South Sudan," detailed how government officials with significant discretion over the mining sector may be benefiting financially from South Sudan’s minerals, particularly in Eastern Equatoria.

In order to stop armed actors and kleptocratic networks from controlling one of the country''s most promising revenue streams, international and regional policymakers, regulators, and financial institutions must exert financial pressure and use diplomatic tools to alter the calculations and behavior of those who perpetuate large-scale violence through the gold trade. Exposing and disrupting the criminal networks that facilitate the depletion of South Sudan’s most valuable natural resources can help end the exploitation of communities in Eastern Equatoria’s gold mining areas and throughout South Sudan.

Read “The Criminalization of South Sudan’s Gold Sector” for deeper insight into this region.

Sincerely,

Brian Adeba
Deputy Director of Policy
The Sentry and Enough Project

“Don''t think for a second that corruption and money laundering in a place like the Democratic Republic of Congo doesn''t impact international security. When banks fail to fulfill basic compliance requirements–and when governments turn a blind eye–organized crime and terror financing will always flourish.” - George Clooney, Co-Founder of The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

Today, The Sentry released a new report, “Overt Affairs,” documenting how two North Korean businessmen openly busted international sanctions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The report uncovers how they were able to freely generate revenue and use a bank in the DRC—activities that private and public sector institutions in the country should have stopped in their tracks.

The activities exposed in “Overt Affairs” could represent a threat to international peace and security. International sanctions programs on North Korea focus heavily on disrupting access to the international financial system, due to the danger that revenue generated overseas could ultimately be used to fund the country’s nuclear weapons program. However, weak internal controls and oversight mechanisms in the DRC make certain sectors fertile ground for those seeking to evade sanctions. These frailties not only put the DRC’s banking sector and broader economy in significant danger, but they can also have global implications by undermining the effectiveness of international sanctions programs and the integrity of the international financial system.

Measures must be taken to address the troubling North Korean sanctions-busting and to help strengthen the DRC’s banking sector against illicit actors. You can read more about The Sentry’s specific recommendations here.

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry

P.S. On Thursday, September 3rd, The Sentry and the Atlantic Council will be co-hosting a virtual event to discuss the findings in this report. Keep an eye on your email next week for an invitation to join the event.

“Don''t think for a second that corruption and money laundering in a place like the Democratic Republic of Congo doesn''t impact international security. When banks fail to fulfill basic compliance requirements–and when governments turn a blind eye–organized crime and terror financing will always flourish.” - George Clooney, Co-Founder of The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

Today, The Sentry released a new report, “Overt Affairs,” documenting how two North Korean businessmen openly busted international sanctions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The report uncovers how they were able to freely generate revenue and use a bank in the DRC—activities that private and public sector institutions in the country should have stopped in their tracks.

The activities exposed in “Overt Affairs” could represent a threat to international peace and security. International sanctions programs on North Korea focus heavily on disrupting access to the international financial system, due to the danger that revenue generated overseas could ultimately be used to fund the country’s nuclear weapons program. However, weak internal controls and oversight mechanisms in the DRC make certain sectors fertile ground for those seeking to evade sanctions. These frailties not only put the DRC’s banking sector and broader economy in significant danger, but they can also have global implications by undermining the effectiveness of international sanctions programs and the integrity of the international financial system.

Measures must be taken to address the troubling North Korean sanctions-busting and to help strengthen the DRC’s banking sector against illicit actors. You can read more about The Sentry’s specific recommendations here.

Sincerely,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry

P.S. On Thursday, September 3rd, The Sentry and the Atlantic Council will be co-hosting a virtual event to discuss the findings in this report. Keep an eye on your email next week for an invitation to join the event.

Dear Supporter,

Over the past year, the ability of South Sudan’s government to effectively respond to the COVID-19 crisis has been the subject of significant international concern. For the citizens of South Sudan, the perils of relying on the government’s response to a public health crisis were already painfully clear.

For years, pollution from oil fields has contaminated the environment and threatened the health of the population. The Sentry’s investigators found that, despite internal reports showing that the government and oil companies knew what was going on, they repeatedly denied responsibility and took no meaningful action.

The crisis around the oil fields further strained the region’s brittle healthcare infrastructure, which has suffered from war, corruption, and neglect. Throughout South Sudan’s civil war, health workers were the target of violence, and medical supply chains were routinely disrupted. Funds for medical supplies and pharmaceuticals have been diverted into the pockets of politicians and their business partners.

This is what crisis response looks like in a captured state: critical lifesaving resources are hijacked, and those attempting to provide support or assistance are subject to violence and intimidation.

And for years, this dynamic has unfolded largely because those responsible suffered virtually no meaningful consequences—until now.

This past year, The Sentry’s investigations exposed many of the international actors profiting from the looting of state assets. We unearthed critical evidence and provided it to financial institutions and governments, resulting in tangible consequences for South Sudan’s corrupt officials and military commanders. This, in part, helped create the leverage needed to push for South Sudan''s leaders to compromise and form a government of national unity, potentially averting a return to full-scale war.

Please help us continue this work by giving a gift today.

From now until December 31, your gift will be doubled. A group of extremely generous donors has agreed to match EVERY donation.

Hope is on the horizon, but we must remain steadfast in our efforts to cut off the illicit financial flows that drive violence, atrocity, and war.

Thank you for your support,

Megha Swamy
Deputy Director of Illicit Finance Policy

DOUBLE YOUR GIFT BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

Dear Supporter,

As 2020 comes to a close, I want to thank you for believing in us and for continuing to invest in our programs.

I’ve spent my life''s work focused on supporting peace and human rights in areas of Africa affected by devastating conflict. It has taken decades, but we are now seeing our efforts have a real impact on the ground.

In South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, previously intractable conflicts have been brought to a tentative and fragile end, and we are working hard to ensure this moment of peace will last.

We would not be able to do our work without your support.

For the past four years, The Sentry has worked with governments and global banks to take targeted action against African war criminals and transnational war profiteers. Our investigators have followed the dirty money to expose warlords, Belgian gold smugglers, Bulgarian arms traffickers, Russian mercenaries, North Korean sanctions-busters, transnational terror financing networks, Chinese oil companies, Swiss commodity traders, corrupt government officials from numerous countries, and American banks and businesses with links to massive human rights crimes in East and Central Africa.

By creating real financial consequences for those responsible for perpetuating and profiting from conflict, we have been able to provide strong incentives to pursue peace. But much still needs to be done.

Until midnight tonight EVERY donation will be MATCHED.

With your help, we can continue to expand our investigations and work to prevent conflict and mass atrocities in East and Central Africa and across the globe. Please support us today, have your gift matched, and help make a difference in the lives of millions of people.

Best wishes for 2021,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry
Founding Director of the Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

Over the past year, the ability of South Sudan’s government to effectively respond to the COVID-19 crisis has been the subject of significant international concern. For the citizens of South Sudan, the perils of relying on the government’s response to a public health crisis were already painfully clear.

For years, pollution from oil fields has contaminated the environment and threatened the health of the population. The Sentry’s investigators found that, despite internal reports showing that the government and oil companies knew what was going on, they repeatedly denied responsibility and took no meaningful action.

The crisis around the oil fields further strained the region’s brittle healthcare infrastructure, which has suffered from war, corruption, and neglect. Throughout South Sudan’s civil war, health workers were the target of violence, and medical supply chains were routinely disrupted. Funds for medical supplies and pharmaceuticals have been diverted into the pockets of politicians and their business partners.

This is what crisis response looks like in a captured state: critical lifesaving resources are hijacked, and those attempting to provide support or assistance are subject to violence and intimidation.

And for years, this dynamic has unfolded largely because those responsible suffered virtually no meaningful consequences—until now.

This past year, The Sentry’s investigations exposed many of the international actors profiting from the looting of state assets. We unearthed critical evidence and provided it to financial institutions and governments, resulting in tangible consequences for South Sudan’s corrupt officials and military commanders. This, in part, helped create the leverage needed to push for South Sudan''s leaders to compromise and form a government of national unity, potentially averting a return to full-scale war.

Please help us continue this work by giving a gift today.

From now until December 31, your gift will be doubled. A group of extremely generous donors has agreed to match EVERY donation.

Hope is on the horizon, but we must remain steadfast in our efforts to cut off the illicit financial flows that drive violence, atrocity, and war.

Thank you for your support,

Megha Swamy
Deputy Director of Illicit Finance Policy

DOUBLE YOUR GIFT BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

Dear Supporter,

As 2020 comes to a close, I want to thank you for believing in us and for continuing to invest in our programs.

I’ve spent my life''s work focused on supporting peace and human rights in areas of Africa affected by devastating conflict. It has taken decades, but we are now seeing our efforts have a real impact on the ground.

In South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, previously intractable conflicts have been brought to a tentative and fragile end, and we are working hard to ensure this moment of peace will last.

We would not be able to do our work without your support.

For the past four years, The Sentry has worked with governments and global banks to take targeted action against African war criminals and transnational war profiteers. Our investigators have followed the dirty money to expose warlords, Belgian gold smugglers, Bulgarian arms traffickers, Russian mercenaries, North Korean sanctions-busters, transnational terror financing networks, Chinese oil companies, Swiss commodity traders, corrupt government officials from numerous countries, and American banks and businesses with links to massive human rights crimes in East and Central Africa.

By creating real financial consequences for those responsible for perpetuating and profiting from conflict, we have been able to provide strong incentives to pursue peace. But much still needs to be done.

Until midnight tonight EVERY donation will be MATCHED.

With your help, we can continue to expand our investigations and work to prevent conflict and mass atrocities in East and Central Africa and across the globe. Please support us today, have your gift matched, and help make a difference in the lives of millions of people.

Best wishes for 2021,

John Prendergast
Co-Founder of The Sentry
Founding Director of the Enough Project

Dear Supporter,

Last week the US Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2021, and below certain hot-button issues was the inclusion of landmark anti-money laundering reform. The provision bans anonymous shell companies, pervasive in the United States, and represents not only the United States’ biggest anti-corruption push in years, but also a massive boost for human rights efforts around the world.

The Sentry''s advocacy work in concert with coalition partners was a driving force behind the passage of this reform, the Corporate Transparency Act. Our Co-Founder John Prendergast highlights the importance of the critical provision in a new op-ed published yesterday.

"With the implementation of this historic legislation, no longer will the world’s worst dictators be able to hide their finances behind U.S. shell companies. Finally, we’ll be able to track their assets that much more easily – and begin holding them to account for their human rights atrocities."

To read more about the provision and its effects on human rights, read the full op-ed.

Thank you for your support and happy new year from The Sentry.

Sincerely,

Ian Schwab
Director of Regional Policy and Advocacy
The Sentry

Dear Supporter,

Last week the US Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2021, and below certain hot-button issues was the inclusion of landmark anti-money laundering reform. The provision bans anonymous shell companies, pervasive in the United States, and represents not only the United States’ biggest anti-corruption push in years, but also a massive boost for human rights efforts around the world.

The Sentry''s advocacy work in concert with coalition partners was a driving force behind the passage of this reform, the Corporate Transparency Act. Our Co-Founder John Prendergast highlights the importance of the critical provision in a new op-ed published yesterday.

"With the implementation of this historic legislation, no longer will the world’s worst dictators be able to hide their finances behind U.S. shell companies. Finally, we’ll be able to track their assets that much more easily – and begin holding them to account for their human rights atrocities."

To read more about the provision and its effects on human rights, read the full op-ed.

Thank you for your support and happy new year from The Sentry.

Sincerely,

Ian Schwab
Director of Regional Policy and Advocacy
The Sentry