{"id":6384,"date":"2025-11-11T12:03:54","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T12:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/?p=6384"},"modified":"2025-11-11T12:03:59","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T12:03:59","slug":"asset-recovery-and-property-retrieval-taskforce-unseals-major-indictments-in-corruption-and-money-laundering-cases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/?p=6384","title":{"rendered":"Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce Unseals Major Indictments in Corruption and Money Laundering Cases"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


Paynesville, Liberia \u2013 November 7, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) on Friday, November 7, 2025 announced the unsealing of two major indictments involving alleged money laundering, theft of public property, and criminal facilitation among other charges, signaling one of the most significant anti-corruption actions in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The indictments, unveiled during a press conference at AREPT\u2019s headquarters in Paynesville, name former government officials and private business executives accused of diverting and concealing millions of dollars in public funds through fraudulent contracts and shell companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AREPT Chairman Cllr. Edward Kla Martin, addressing journalists, said the cases reflect Liberia\u2019s growing resolve to hold accountable those who misuse public office for personal gain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat we share today is not just another update,\u201d Cllr. Martin said. \u201cIt is a statement of Liberia\u2019s determination to hold accountable anyone who abuses public trust no matter their position or connections.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cAnita Group of Companies\/Gracious Ride\u201d Indictment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first case, popularly referred to as the \u201cAnita Group of Companies\/Gracious Ride\u201d investigation, involves former Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundoo, who served from 2018 to 2023, along with Pamela Anita Jallah, Francis B. Blamo, Saah F. Johnson Sr., and forty other defendants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AREPT investigators found that between 2020 and 2023, Madam Bundoo and her associates used the Anita Group of Companies and Gracious Ride Incorporated to move and conceal over US$6.7 million and L$845 million in public funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The investigation also revealed extensive real estate and vehicle purchases inconsistent with Bundoo\u2019s official income. Properties identified include holdings in Christopolis Community, Brewerville, Freetown Community, Marshall, Margibi County, and Rehab Community, Paynesville, valued at over hundreds of thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between 2022 and 2023, Bundoo\u2019s company Gracious Ride Inc. also purchased 42 Suzuki vehicles from GBK Motors worth US$424,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A writ of arrest has been issued for Madam Bundoo, who is currently at large, while several of her co-defendants have been arrested and being processed for court trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The charges filed include Money Laundering, Theft of Property, Criminal Conspiracy, Forgery, Misuse of Public Funds, and violations of the Public Procurement and Concessions Act (PPCA) and the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWithin just three years in office, Madam Bundoo\u2019s financial dealings expanded beyond explanation,\u201d Cllr. Martin said. \u201cThe evidence revealed deliberate efforts to disguise the source of public funds through front companies and asset acquisitions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The MDMC\/MOFA Indictment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second indictment concerns a US$1.95 million renovation contract between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and MDMC Express Incorporated, represented by John S. Youboty. The contract, signed in September 2023, was funded by a US$2 million grant from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia intended to refurbish the Ministry\u2019s headquarters in central Monrovia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to AREPT\u2019s investigation, the company received full payment for the project, but only 56 percent of the work\u2014valued at US$1,098,863.58\u2014was completed. The remaining 44 percent, valued at US$851,136.13, was never done, and no certificate of completion was issued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Investigators hired an independent Architectural Firm which appraiser\u2019s found that the contract was not implement as was agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those indicted include Thelma Duncan Sawyer, former Deputy Minister for Administration, John S. Youboty, CEO of MDMC Express, Joseph C. Goodridge, Project Manager, and other MDMC representatives. They face charges of Theft of Property and Criminal Facilitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery dollar that is stolen is a resource denied to our people,\u201d Chairman Martin told reporters. \u201cThat money could have built classrooms, provided medicine, improved roads, or paid civil servants. These crimes rob Liberian children of a better future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commitment to Accountability and Due Process<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chairman Martin reaffirmed that all of AREPT\u2019s investigations are conducted within the framework of Liberian law and in collaboration with national and international partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAREPT\u2019s work is not political \u2014 it is patriotic,\u201d he said. \u201cWe follow the evidence wherever it leads. Our duty is to the people of Liberia and to the laws of this Republic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that these are the second and third major indictments unsealed by AREPT, part of a growing docket of more than 40 active investigations. In June 2025, the Taskforce secured the indictment of 15 government officials over the theft of rice donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a case now before the court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AREPT said the latest actions underscore the government\u2019s commitment to transparency and justice, as the Taskforce continues to trace and recover assets stolen from the Liberian people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday\u2019s indictments send a clear message,\u201d Cllr. Martin concluded. \u201cThose who misuse public resources will face the full weight of the law, and those who serve with honesty will be protected and respected.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AREPT Chairman, Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin addressing the media<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news-updates"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6384"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6384\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6385,"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6384\/revisions\/6385"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arept.gov.lr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}