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2mo ago

Three Americans Charged in U.S. After Repatriation From DR Congo Coup Convictions

The men, previously sentenced to death in DR Congo for their roles in a failed coup, now face federal charges for conspiracy and other offenses in the United States.

FILE - Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, left, Marcel Malanga and Tyler Thompson, all American citizens, attend a court verdict in Congo, Kinshasa, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, on charges of taking part in a coup attempt in May 2024. (AP Photo/Samy Ntumba Shambuyi, file)
Benjamin Zalman Polun, Marcel Malanga and Tyler Thompson, American citizens suspected along with a group of around fifty other people to be involved in an attempted coup in Congo, wait for the final verdict during their trial in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, September 13, 2024. REUTERS/Justin Makangara /File Photo
The Americans, pictured from left, Tyler Thompson, Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun and Marcel Malanga, were repatriated on Tuesday.
FILE - Rebecca Higbee the mother of Tyler Thompson, points to her son and his friend Marcel during his 21st birthday with his family on May 30, 2024, in West Jordan, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

Overview

  • The three Americans, Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson Jr., and Benjamin Zalman-Polun, were repatriated to the U.S. after their death sentences in DR Congo were commuted to life imprisonment.
  • The U.S. Department of Justice has charged the men with conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to kill or kidnap, and other offenses tied to the failed May 2024 coup attempt.
  • A fourth individual, Joseph Peter Moesser, was arrested in Utah and accused of providing explosives and training for the coup plot, which aimed to overthrow DR Congo's government.
  • The failed coup, led by opposition figure Christian Malanga, resulted in at least six deaths, including Malanga himself, and involved an armed attack on government sites in Kinshasa.
  • The repatriation follows ongoing high-level discussions between the U.S. and DR Congo on security cooperation and potential mineral investment agreements.