The United States is considering dropping the sanctions it imposed in 2017 against Israeli billionaire businessman Dan Gertler, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. According to people familiar with the matter, he could help the US government negotiate a cobalt and copper mining deal with Saudi Arabia.
The report claims that the US, Saudi Arabia and Gertler "held early-stage talks" as recently as this month. One of the options under consideration would see Saudi Arabia buying stakes in mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo "that are currently paying royalties to Gertler," after which the US would "get some of the rights to production from those mines." Gertler was implicated in corruption allegations, resulting in his US assets being frozen and a ban on dealing with US companies.
