US Adds Guptas to Sanctions List

The three brothers at the head of the now notorious Gupta family, Ajay, Atul and Rajesh, have had sanctions imposed on them by the US government.

On Thursday the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) released a statement saying “[t]he Gupta family leveraged its political connections to engage in widespread corruption and bribery, capture government contracts, and misappropriate state assets”.

They further elaborated that the new sanctions were aimed at the Guptas “pay-to play political patronage” in South Africa.  “We will continue to exclude from the US financial system those who profit from corruption”.

A business associate of the brothers, Salim Essa, was also subject to the same restrictions.

The Guptas are accused of manipulating their friendship with the now disgraced former president Jacob Zuma in order to influence ministerial appointments and boost profits for their company, Sahara Group.

South Africa’s Justice Department came out in support of the move, releasing a statement explaining that the sanctions will ensure the four businessmen “are prohibited from conducting any business in the USA or with any American company worldwide”.

Since their relationship with Jacob Zuma came to light, the Guptas have left South Africa.  It is thought they are now living in Dubai.