UK imposes sanctions against controversial Gupta family

The United Kingdom announced that it has imposed sanctions against the controversial Gupta family, and its associate, Salim Essa.

This was announced on Monday by the UK’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab under the new Global Anti-Corruption regime.

“Corruption has a corrosive effect as it slows development, drains the wealth of poorer nations, and keeps their people trapped in poverty. It poisons the well of democracy,” said Raab.

“The individuals we have sanctioned today have been involved in some of the most notorious corruption cases around the world.”

He said that global Britain is standing up for democracy, good governance, and the rule of law.

Estimates suggest over 2% of global GDP is lost to corruption every year.

The UK is committed to tackling this problem and targeting those who enable it.

Today, UK Foreign Sec @DominicRaab launches our new Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions regime.

— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) April 26, 2021

“We are saying to those involved in serious corruption, we will not tolerate you or your dirty money in our country.”

“Individuals involved in some of the world’s most serious cases of corruption will no longer be able to channel their money through UK banks or enter the country thanks to new sanctions announced by the Foreign Secretary today,” reads the statement.

Raab said that corruption hurts individuals and undermines global trade, development, and the rule of law.

“Over 2% of global GDP is lost to corruption every year, and corruption increases the cost of doing business for individual companies by as much as 10%.”

Corruption also threatens our national security by exacerbating conflict and facilitating serious and organised crime, creating space for terrorist and criminal groups like Daesh and Boko Haram to operate.

He said that the new regime will allow the UK to combat serious corruption, in particular bribery and misappropriation.

“It will promote effective governance, robust democratic institutions, and the rule of law – demonstrating our power as a force for good around the world.”

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The UK’s first wave of sanctions under this new sanctions regime is targeting:

• Those involved in the diversion of $230 million of Russian state property through a fraudulent tax refund scheme uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky – one of the largest tax frauds in recent Russian history
• Ajay, Atul, and Rajesh Gupta, and their associate Salim Essa, for their roles in serious corruption. They were at the heart of a long-running process of corruption in South Africa which caused significant damage to its economy
• Sudanese businessman Ashraf Seed Ahmed Hussein Ali, widely known as Al Cardinal, for his involvement in the misappropriation of significant amounts of state assets in one of the poorest countries in the world. This diversion of resources in collusion with South Sudanese elites has contributed to ongoing instability and conflict
• Several individuals involved in serious corruption in Latin America, including facilitating bribes to support a major drug trafficking organisation and misappropriation that has led to citizens being deprived of vital resources for development

The sanctions target 22 individuals involved in notorious corruption cases in Russia, South Africa, South Sudan and throughout Latin America.