Isabel dos Santos, daughter of former Angolan president José Eduardo dos Santos, was once considered as the richest woman of Africa. During her father’s 38-year dictatorial rule over the country, she was appointed chair of Angola’s state oil company, Sonangol, and ran the main telecom operator, Unitel. She achieved renown for having created or run numerous businesses and property projects, as well as for her contacts with the cultural and intellectual elite around the world.
Since her father stepped down from power in September 2017 however, she has faced corruption allegations at home and abroad. In 2020, the Luanda Leaks, a collection of approximately 700,000 documents, painted a picture of how the dos Santos family amassed their fortune by diverting Angolan public funds into offshore accounts. The documents were published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). She has been accused by the Angolan authorities – among others – of money laundering, embezzlement, and tax fraud [1]. Unitel is also demanding the repayment of several hundred million dollars in loans through legal proceedings in the UK. [2]
Isabel dos Santos was listed on the UK Anti-Corruption list in November 2024, named by UK authorities as one of a group of “notorious kleptocrats who have siphoned wealth from their home countries”. Specifically, dos Santos is alleged to have misappropriated more than £50 million ($63 million) while managing Angola’s state oil firm, Sonangol, and over £300 million ($380 million) as director of the telecom company Unitel. [3]
Information
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION | Businesswoman and daughter of Angola's former president |
DATE OF BIRTH | 20.04.1973 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Baku, Azerbaijan |
NATIONALITY | Angola ; Russia |
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE | Dubai, United Arab Emirate |
FULL NAME | Isabel dos Santos |
FIRST AND MIDDLE NAME(S) | Isabel |
ALIASES | Africa's Richest Woman ; Angola's Princess ; Isabel José dos Santos ; Isabel Kukanova dos Santos ; Isabela dos Santos ; nelida isabel dossantos ; Сантуш, Изабель душ |
FAMILY MEMBERS | José Eduardo dos Santos - father Tatiana Kukanova - mother José Filomeno dos Santos - brother Coréon Du - brother Sindika Dokolo - spouse |
FAMILY MEMBERS SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS | None |
SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED OVERSEAS PROPERTIES | Apartments in London, 2 apartments of a USD 4.8 million worth in Lisbon, USD 55 million apartment in Monte Carlo [1] Apartment in Dubai worth USD 602 800 [2] |
SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED LINKS TO LEGAL ENTITIES | Exem Energy BV ; Trans Africa Investment Services ; Esperaza Holding [1] ; a considerable number of shell companies (according to ICIJ, since 1992, dos Santos and her husband have created or invested in at least 400 companies and subsidiaries in 41 countries) [2] [3] |
SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED LINKS TO OTHER ASSETS | A USD 35 million yacht, the Hayken [1] |
ESTIMATES OF ASSETS FROZEN OR CONFISCATED | USD 1 billion in Angola [1] and and approximately EUR 500 million (USD 550 million) in Portugal [2] |
ESTIMATES OF ASSETS RETURNED | None |
SANCTIONS REGIMES | UK Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions [1] |
START OF SANCTIONS | 21.11.2024 [1] |