The Belgian police raids were conducted as part of an investigation into money laundering linked to misappropriated mining revenues from the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Katanga province.

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U.S. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott stated that Karnakis & Karnakis spent years setting up shell companies to conceal the true owners of vessels transporting Iranian oil, petrochemicals, and steel

The U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued information requests to six unnamed European banks regarding their relationships with sanctioned Iranian financial institutions

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The U.S. Department of State expressed support for increased U.S. energy exports to India to help meet consumer demand and diversify Indian supply chains

US efforts to expand economic partnerships in Central Asia during Marco Rubio's October 2026 visit focused on securing access to the region's rare earth and critical mineral supplies.

The C5+1 joint statement issued in Samarkand on October 19, 2026 outlined plans to expand mineral extraction and develop pathways for regional value-added exports to international markets.

In December 2025, former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was convicted of abuse of power and money laundering in a second 1MDB trial, receiving a 15-year jail term and an 11.4 billion ringgit fine.

Attorney Hervé Diakese stated that misappropriated mining revenues allowed individuals close to President Felix Tshisekedi to maintain luxury lifestyles far beyond their legitimate incomes.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo holds some of the world's largest reserves of copper, cobalt, and strategic minerals, but its mining sector is plagued by corruption allegations.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo government has sought to attract foreign investment into its mining sector despite longstanding corruption allegations surrounding mining revenues.

The Belgian investigation stems from a 2025 legal complaint filed in Brussels by DESC/RDC, a platform representing non-governmental organizations from Katanga province.

A spokesperson for the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office confirmed searches at several Brussels addresses regarding a money laundering investigation, but declined to confirm if Felix Tshisekedi's relatives were targeted.

On October 14, 2026, Belgian police raided the homes of several relatives and associates of Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi in Brussels and its surrounding suburbs.

The NGO complaint was filed in Belgium in 2025 because several individuals named in the money laundering allegations are Belgian citizens residing in Belgium.

Attorney Hervé Diakese stated that the money laundering complaint targets members of President Felix Tshisekedi's immediate family as well as a broader circle of associates.

Nearly half of the world's heavy rare-earth supply originates from mines in Myanmar's Kachin State, with most output shipped to China for refining.

US access to Myanmar's rare earths faces obstacles because key heavy rare-earth deposits in Kachin State are controlled by the Kachin Independence Army and China dominates processing.

United States officials have discussed obtaining access to Myanmar's heavy rare-earth mineral deposits, which include dysprosium and terbium used in electric vehicles and wind turbines.

Indian officials from state-owned IREL and Midwest Advanced Materials explored securing rare-earth samples from Kachin Independence Army-controlled mines following visits in December 2024 and February 2026.