Dias Junior, along with Nascimento, allegedly colluded with Angolan officials to misappropriate funding intended for infrastructure development projects, including the use of phantom projects. It is believed that they have stolen billions of dollars through their embezzlement efforts. Nascimento and Dias Junior are suspected of siphoning off millions of dollars from Angolan infrastructure projects and relying on their positions in the Angolan economy to insulate themselves from the possibility of criminal charges. Dias Junior is believed to have brokered an additional large sum of money for other senior Angolan government officials with a third-country defense manufacturer as a part of a military equipment deal.
Dias Junior was a close associate of Angola’s former president José Eduardo dos Santos and is often referred to as “General Kopelipa” or simply ” Kopelipa.” He is also an active businessman with many investments in Angola as well as in Portugal. [1] [2] [3]
Information
| IDENTIFYING INFORMATION | Former head of the Military House under former President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, a former general in the Angolan Army |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 04.10.1953 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Angola |
| NATIONALITY | Angola |
| COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE | Angola |
| ALIASES | Manuel Helder Vieira Dias Junior, "Kopelipa", "General Kopelipa" |
| FAMILY MEMBERS | Luisa De Fatima Giovetty - wife Lidiane Rafaela Giovetty - child Carlos de Ancieto G Vieira Dias Junior - child |
| FAMILY MEMBERS SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS | Luisa De Fatima Giovetty - wife [1] |
| SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED OVERSEAS PROPERTIES | Various properties in the Douro valley of Portugal; luxury apartments in Lisbon and Cascais [1] 410 hectares of property in the Douro International Natural Park, 30 hectares in Almendra (Vila Nova de Foz Côa) [2] |
| SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED LINKS TO LEGAL ENTITIES | Baia Consulting Limited [1] Nazaki; Damer; Banco Espírito Santo; Sonagol [2] Banco Privado Internacional; Banco Privado Atlantico [3] Simportex [4] WWC - Worldwide Capital; Surface Vertical; six agricultural companies based in Quinta da Serra; Colinas do Douro - based in Lisbon [5] |
| SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED LINKS TO OTHER ASSETS | Private jet [1] |
| ESTIMATES OF ASSETS FROZEN OR CONFISCATED | Unknown |
| ESTIMATES OF ASSETS RETURNED | None |
| SANCTIONS IMPOSED | US Global Magnitsky Sanctions. [1] |
| START OF SANCTIONS | 12.09.2021 [1] |