{"id":6111,"date":"2021-07-01T11:00:04","date_gmt":"2021-07-01T15:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/?page_id=6111"},"modified":"2023-07-19T19:46:21","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T23:46:21","slug":"shadows-shell-games","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Shadows and Shell Games"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/ShadowsShellGames_TheSentry_July2021.pdf\"><br \/>\n<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-6144 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Cover-July-ShadowsShellGames-240x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Cover-July-ShadowsShellGames-240x300.png 240w, https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Cover-July-ShadowsShellGames-768x959.png 768w, https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Cover-July-ShadowsShellGames-820x1024.png 820w, https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Cover-July-ShadowsShellGames.png 1322w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><\/h1>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-27623 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/enoughproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/512px-Download_alt_font_awesome.svg_-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" \/>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/ShadowsShellGames_TheSentry_July2021.pdf\"><strong>Read the full report<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-27623 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/enoughproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/512px-Download_alt_font_awesome.svg_-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" \/>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Shadows-Shell-Games-Summary.pdf\"><strong>Read the one-page summary<\/strong><\/a><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Set well back from the public road at the end of a long driveway lined with palm trees is an extravagant new mansion, being built by Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a Zimbabwean businessman and presidential advisor accused of corruption.<sup class=\"footnote\" data-content=\"The Office of the President and Cabinet in Zimbabwe, \u201cPresident Sets Up Advisory Council,\u201d January 31, 2019, available at: https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20210530190220\/http:\/www.theopc.gov.zw\/index.php\/362-president-sets-up-advisory-council\"><span class=\"ref\">*<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0<sup class=\"footnote\" data-content=\"United States Department of the Treasury, \u201cTreasury Sanctions Corrupt Zimbabwean Businessman,\u201d Press Release, August 5, 2020, available at: https:\/\/home.treasury.gov\/news\/press-releases\/sm1082\"><span class=\"ref\">*<\/span><\/sup> Much like this Harare residence, Tagwirei\u2019s business empire of more than 40 companies has mostly been hidden from the public eye.<\/p>\n<p>By analyzing hundreds of company documents, court filings, and communications, The Sentry\u2019s investigation shows how Tagwirei used complex corporate structures to build and hide his wealth, potentially benefiting from preferential government treatment along the way. Tagwirei has invested in gold, nickel, platinum, and chrome mines by hiding behind South African businesspeople and offshore structures in Mauritius and the Cayman Islands and by using lawyers and financiers who are seemingly happy to turn a blind eye to accusations of cronyism and corruption.<\/p>\n<p>New documents uncovered by The Sentry also show how Tagwirei has used similar networks to hide his financial interests in Zimbabwe\u2019s new public-private partnership mining company, Kuvimba Mining House, with Zimbabwe\u2019s Finance Ministry reportedly collaborating to deflect public scrutiny from these arrangements.<sup class=\"footnote\" data-content=\"Martin Kadzere, \u201cKuvimba Eyes Globe and Phoenix Stake,\u201d The Herald, January 8, 2021, available at: https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20210125055834\/https:\/\/www.herald.co.zw\/kuvimba-eyes-globe-and-phoenix-stake\/\"><span class=\"ref\">*<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n<p>In 2019, Tagwirei paid millions of dollars to a Zimbabwean military-owned company so that Landela Mining Ventures, a company he controlled, could purchase 50% of Great Dyke Investments (GDI), a platinum mine worth hundreds of millions and run as a joint venture with a Russian firm. The payment raises fears about off-budget financing of Zimbabwe\u2019s abusive and partisan military.<\/p>\n<p>An examination of Tagwirei\u2019s business track record reveals a pattern of accusations of privileged access and special treatment, some of which may warrant further investigation by regulators and law enforcement.<sup class=\"footnote\" data-content=\"See note 2.\"><span class=\"ref\">*<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0On January 27, 2021, over a year after Landela Mining Ventures had bought half of the platinum mine, Zimbabwe granted GDI a five-year corporate income tax holiday and exempted its shareholders resident in Zimbabwe from resident shareholders\u2019 taxes on GDI dividends\u2014retroactively applied to January 1, 2020.<sup class=\"footnote\" data-content=\"Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association, \u201cZELA\u2019s Analysis of Great Dyke Investment\u2019s 5 Year Income Tax Exemption,\u201d February 26, 2021, available at: http:\/\/www.zela.org\/zelas-analysis-of-great-dyke-investment-s-5-year-income-tax-exemption\/\"><span class=\"ref\">*<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0<sup class=\"footnote\" data-content=\"Government of Zimbabwe, Statutory Instrument 26 of 2021, \u201cIncome Tax (Exemption from Income Tax) (Great Dyke Investments (Private) Limited) Notice, 2021,\u201d January 27, 2021, available at: https:\/\/www.veritaszim.net\/sites\/veritas_d\/files\/SI%202021-026%20Income%20Tax%20%28Exemption%20from%20Income%20Tax%29%20%28Great%20Dyke%20Investments%20%28Private%29%20Limited%29%20Notice%2C%202021.pdf\"><span class=\"ref\">*<\/span><\/sup> Auditors investigating corruption red flags in a 2016 $630 million diesel generating plant contract found that the Office of the President had improperly interfered with the procurement process, ordering officials to evaluate Tagwirei\u2019s sole bid outside the standard process.<sup class=\"footnote\" data-content=\"PricewaterhouseCoopers, \u201cZESA Holdings: Final Forensic Investigation Report,\u201d January 2019, available at: https:\/\/www.parlzim.gov.zw\/component\/k2\/download\/2927_aaf1ff20b78cf4b241f92cb6e2d0c891\"><span class=\"ref\">*<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Other decisions worthy of further investigation include allegations of preferential access to hard currency and the appointment of Tagwirei\u2019s oil trading company, without a tendering process, to run a $1 billion dollar agriculture project.<sup class=\"footnote\" data-content=\"Parliament of Zimbabwe, Public Accounts Committee Hearing, Facebook, March 16, 2020, available at: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/live\/?v=721149318623471&amp;ref=watch_permalink (00:04:40).\"><span class=\"ref\">*<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n<p>In addition to alleged business dealings with the Zimbabwean military, Tagwirei appears to have the ability to contact senior civilian officials in Zimbabwe at short notice, particularly at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). Such high-level access, together with the pattern of previous decisions, raises the possibility of state capture, when the public realm\u2014particularly regulatory, legal, and public policy decision-making\u2014has been influenced to benefit private interests. Senior officials at Tagwirei\u2019s companies have denied state capture.<sup class=\"footnote\" data-content=\"&lt;em&gt;Ibid&lt;\/em&gt;., (01:41:00).\"><span class=\"ref\">*<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n<p>The operations of Tagwirei\u2019s network are emblematic of larger structural problems in Zimbabwe. A select group of politicians, the military, and businesspeople dominate government decision-making with little oversight or scrutiny. Key information about public finances remains shrouded in secrecy. An environment of impunity prevails. Left unaddressed, these dynamics will likely become further entrenched.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Brown-Response-TheSentry_Redacted.pdf\">Excerpts of Response to The Sentry from David Brown.<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/ShadowsShellGames_TheSentry_July2021.pdf\"><strong>Read the full report and recommendations &gt;<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0Read the full report\u00a0 \u00a0Read the one-page summary\u00a0 &nbsp; Set well back from the public road at the end of a long driveway lined with palm trees is an extravagant new mansion, being built by Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a Zimbabwean businessman and presidential advisor accused of corruption.\u00a0 Much like this Harare residence, Tagwirei\u2019s business empire of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":6123,"parent":13,"menu_order":29,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-report-single.php","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Shadows and Shell Games - The Sentry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shadows and Shell Games - The Sentry\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u00a0Read the full report\u00a0 \u00a0Read the one-page summary\u00a0 &nbsp; Set well back from the public road at the end of a long driveway lined with palm trees is an extravagant new mansion, being built by Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a Zimbabwean businessman and presidential advisor accused of corruption.\u00a0 Much like this Harare residence, Tagwirei\u2019s business empire of [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Sentry\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-07-19T23:46:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Shadows.Shells-promo.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Read the one-page summary or the full report and recommendations.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/\",\"name\":\"Shadows and Shell Games - The Sentry\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/websiteimage-ShadowsShellGames.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-01T15:00:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-07-19T23:46:21+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/websiteimage-ShadowsShellGames.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/websiteimage-ShadowsShellGames.jpg\",\"width\":2500,\"height\":1042},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Reports\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Shadows and Shell Games\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/\",\"name\":\"The Sentry\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Shadows and Shell Games - The Sentry","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Shadows and Shell Games - The Sentry","og_description":"\u00a0Read the full report\u00a0 \u00a0Read the one-page summary\u00a0 &nbsp; Set well back from the public road at the end of a long driveway lined with palm trees is an extravagant new mansion, being built by Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a Zimbabwean businessman and presidential advisor accused of corruption.\u00a0 Much like this Harare residence, Tagwirei\u2019s business empire of [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/","og_site_name":"The Sentry","article_modified_time":"2023-07-19T23:46:21+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Shadows.Shells-promo.png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_description":"Read the one-page summary or the full report and recommendations.","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/","url":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/","name":"Shadows and Shell Games - The Sentry","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/websiteimage-ShadowsShellGames.jpg","datePublished":"2021-07-01T15:00:04+00:00","dateModified":"2023-07-19T23:46:21+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/websiteimage-ShadowsShellGames.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/websiteimage-ShadowsShellGames.jpg","width":2500,"height":1042},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/shadows-shell-games\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Reports","item":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/reports\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Shadows and Shell Games"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/","name":"The Sentry","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6111"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6111\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesentry.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}