Washington, DC — United States authorities should move quickly on an investigation of suspected corruption and money-laundering by the eldest son of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, Human Rights Watch said today. On October 6, 2011, the Justice Department filed an official notice in California of a pending claim for the forfeiture of more than $70 million in assets, including a mansion, jet, and Michael Jackson memorabilia belonging to the younger Mr. Obiang.
Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, known as Teodorín, is minister of agriculture and forestry, the vice-president of the ruling party, and his father's presumed choice to succeed him in power in the tiny, oil-rich West African country. He is known for his lavish, jet-setting lifestyle and love of luxury vehicles, which contrast sharply with the low living standards of the majority of the inhabitants of Equatorial Guinea.
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