Belgian Authorities Raid Properties of DRC President’s Family Amid Mining Corruption Probe

Belgian police have conducted searches at multiple properties owned by family members of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi. The raids are part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of personal enrichment derived from the DRC’s mining industry.

The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office confirmed that simultaneous searches took place on Wednesday across Brussels and its two surrounding provinces. While the operation stems from a money-laundering complaint filed in July 2025, the broader investigation encompasses accusations of corruption, embezzlement, and various financial crimes linked to mining operations.

The legal action was initiated in early July 2025 by several NGOs operating in the Katanga region and four former directors of Gécamines, the DRC’s state-owned mining company. The complainants allege that members of the Tshisekedi family illegally exploited mines and plundered mineral resources within the Lualaba and Haut-Katanga provinces.

The case was brought before Belgian authorities because nine of the family members named in the complaint hold Belgian citizenship. While the prosecutor’s office has not specifically identified whose properties were searched, the complaint names the president’s wife, mother, and brother. President Tshisekedi himself is not directly implicated in the raids.

Family Denies Allegations

Legal representatives for the president’s family have categorically rejected the claims, describing them as “entirely unfounded, false and defamatory.”

However, Jean-Pierre Muteba, spokesperson for the group pursuing the case, alleged that authorities misappropriated mining tailings—mineral waste—and suggested that billions of dollars may have been diverted from the public treasury. The complaint asserts that any misappropriated funds should be recovered to support the development of the DRC.

The DRC is the global leader in cobalt production, a mineral essential for rechargeable batteries and electric vehicles. Despite its wealth, the nation’s mining sector has been plagued by persistent allegations of corruption and a systemic lack of transparency regarding the management and distribution of revenues.

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