US Senators demand halt to gold purchases linked to Ortega and Murillo dictatorship
Two Democratic senators from the United States demanded an immediate audit from the Treasury Department regarding the purchase of gold allegedly linked to criminal networks, cartels, and authoritarian regimes, including Nicaragua, where the gold business has been identified as a key source of financing for the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
TL;DR
- Two Democratic US senators are demanding an immediate audit of the Treasury Department's gold purchases.
- The senators allege that the US Mint has purchased gold linked to criminal networks, cartels, and authoritarian regimes, including Nicaragua.
- Recent reports suggest the US Mint has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on gold connected to criminal organizations.
- The gold in question is allegedly sourced from countries like Colombia and Nicaragua, where criminal groups often control gold mines.
- The senators criticize the Treasury Department for alleged negligence in due diligence regarding the gold supply chain.
- They highlight that the illicit gold trade is documented to be connected with drug trafficking and human rights abuses.
- The senators specifically point to Nicaragua, stating that gold mining profits are a key funding source for the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship.
- They note that the US sanctioned individuals and entities involved in Nicaraguan gold trade in April 2026.
- The senators warn that the Mint may have ignored US laws on gold origin, in place for over 50 years.
- They demand public disclosure of the audit results and answers regarding mechanisms to prevent US government payments from benefiting sanctioned entities or those linked to illicit activities.