On December 9, 2016, Samuel Mebiame, a Gabonese national and the son of the former Prime Minister of Gabon, pled guilty to conspiracy to make corrupt payments to government officials in violation of the FCPA. Mebiame worked as a consultant to a mining company joint venture co-owned by Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC (“Och-Ziff”), a New York-based hedge fund. Between 2007 and 2012, Mebiame conspired with others to pay bribes to government officials in Chad and Niger in order to obtain business for the joint venture in those countries. In Niger, Mebiame paid more than $3 million in bribes directly and through intermediary agents in order to obtain licenses for uranium concessions for the joint venture. In Chad, Mebiame made cash payments and paid for luxury foreign travel for a government official and the official’s wife, again in exchange for uranium concessions for the joint venture. In connection with Mebiame’s conduct, Och-Ziff entered into a deferred prosecution agreement and agreed to pay $412 million to resolve criminal and civil investigations in the United States. In addition, an Och-Ziff subsidiary, OZ Africa Management GP LLC, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA in connection with a related bribery scheme in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. United States v. Mebiame, No. 16-cr-627 (E.D.N.Y). DOJ Press Release
