The United States (US) sanctioned international mining magnate Dan Gertler for amassing a billion-dollar fortune through opaque and corrupt mining deals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In 2017, Gertler was sanctioned for allegedly using his close friendship with then President Joseph Kabila to act as an intermediary for mining asset sales in the DRC, which created a system where multinational companies had to go through Gertler to do business with the Congolese state. According to the US, the DRC reportedly lost over $1 billion in just two years due to Gertler's corrupt deals. Despite being sanctioned by the US, Gertler was able to continue operating in the DRC's mining sector through an international money laundering network that spanned from the DRC to Europe and Israel. In one instance, Gertler acquired new mining permits through proxy companies in the lead up to the 2018 Congelese elections. Moreover, as of 2022, Gertler was still reportedly earning millions of dollars from copper-cobalt mining interests in the DRC despite US sanctions.