In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) millions of dollars disappeared

Africa Intelligence reveals that in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), despite multiple warnings, millions of dollars have disappeared

from the salaries of civil servants. As a result, President Félix Tshisekedi ordered a further review of the civil service pay system in February. There are recurring reports of missing public funds, embezzlement, or undeclared income linked to corruption scandals, particularly in the mining sector and government institutions. Despite its immense mineral wealth (copper, cobalt, etc.), the DRC has faced numerous such cases over the years, where funds vanished before reaching the state treasury or the public. The BBC investigation “Congo’s Missing Millions” (2021, based on revelations about the Congo invasion) uncovered how millions (at least US$138 million traced in a major leak) of public funds were channeled through a private bank (BGFI) into accounts belonging to the family and associates of former President Joseph Kabila. Public funds from the central bank and the state-owned mining company Gecamines ended up in private hands, illustrating the systematic plunder during the Kabila era. The Gecamines audit reports revealed that several reports document hundreds of millions of dollars missing. For example, a 2022 audit by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) found over US$400 million (of which approximately US$413 million is suspected to have been misappropriated) in advance tax payments and loans that Gecamines had allegedly paid to the treasury, but whose whereabouts could not be traced. Previous cases include $530 million in mining payments that disappeared from central bank accounts (reported in 2021). Dan Gertler and his connections to mining deals. The Israeli billionaire (sanctioned by the US in 2017 for corruption) is linked to deals that have cost the Democratic Republic of Congo billions in lost revenue. Investigations estimate losses from opaque copper, cobalt, and oil contracts at at least $3.71 billion (2003–2021, plus projected future shortfalls). Recent developments (as of March 2026) include a settlement in the Netherlands in which a Gertler-affiliated company (Fleurette Properties) paid €25.8 million (approximately $30 million) to settle a bribery investigation related to mining licenses from 2010–2011. Other cases are documented, such as the underreporting of mining revenues. A government audit from 2025 revealed that companies had underreported revenues totaling US$16.8 billion (2018–2023), resulting in community and development funds losing approximately US$50 million. Then there are smaller but concrete cases, such as the disappearance of US$2 million from an East African Community peace fund intended for projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (2023 report); and the missing US$25 million from a copyright company (2025 report). These incidents reflect deeper, entrenched problems: corruption in state-owned enterprises, opaque dealings with foreign investors, inadequate oversight, and predatory tax practices. Billions of dollars in mineral resources leave the country annually, yet only a fraction of this benefits the public. This contributes to persistent poverty and conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, despite its wealth of resources. This is nothing new, however, as the Inspector General of Finance already published a detailed report on this issue in 2023, which uncovered serious irregularities. It is widely believed that this report did not lead to any concrete action. Fixed workers and the embezzlement of wages are recurring problems in this country, which has long been governed by machinations and manipulation. The government's strategy has always been based on lies, embezzlement, and corruption—practices that even extend to its regional and international policies.