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·19 February 2026

DR Congo's scathing response to L’Équipe media

Article image:DR Congo's scathing response to L’Équipe media

Monaco – DR Congo affair: Congolese ministry breaks its silence

Article image:DR Congo's scathing response to L’Équipe media

RD Congo – Monaco: serious accusations and official response

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The case has taken a sensitive legal turn. The sponsorship contract linking AS Monaco to the Democratic Republic of Congo, revealed by L’Équipe, led to the filing of a complaint for "money laundering" and "corruption" with the National Financial Prosecutor's Office last September. After review, the case was transferred to the Monegasque authorities, placing the investigation under local jurisdiction. The Congolese Minister of Sports and Leisure, Didier Budimbu, is now directly named in this procedure.

Faced with the media storm surrounding this saga, Kinshasa has chosen to respond publicly. The ministry in question denounces the accusations as baseless and disputes the interpretation of the case.

In an official statement, it declared:

"The Ministry of Sports categorically rejects the allegations relayed by the French outlet L’Équipe regarding the forwarding of a complaint to the authorities of the Principality of Monaco. We strongly refute any claim of embezzlement, money laundering, or corruption." The statement further specifies that the partnership was "approved by the relevant government bodies" and executed "in strict compliance with all applicable financial, contractual, and budgetary regulations."

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