FOUR US citizens have been charged by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for their alleged involvement in a failed 2024 coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a criminal complaint unsealed this week. As reported by Reuters, three of the men—Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson, and Benjamin Zalman-Polun—were transferred to US custody after their convictions in the DRC.
The charges follow a botched coup attempt in May 2024, when armed attackers targeted homes of senior Congolese officials and briefly took control of the presidential office in Kinshasa. The DOJ press release states that the men planned and scouted targets, identified high-profile government victims, and aimed to assassinate key DRC leaders as part of the ‘Armed Coup Attack’.
Coordinated operation and arrests
A fourth American, Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, believed to be a bombmaker, was arrested in Utah. All four now face multiple federal charges, including conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction, plotting to bomb government facilities, and planning to kill or kidnap individuals overseas.
According to the DOJ, the accused recruited others—sometimes offering money—to join the self-declared rebel army and participate in the coup. The plot, which they claim was meticulously organised, represents a rare instance of US nationals allegedly attempting to overthrow a foreign government by force.
Sentencing and commutation in the DRC
Malanga, Thompson, and Zalman-Polun were part of a group of 37 people tried and convicted by a Congolese military court in September 2024. They were found guilty of terrorism, criminal conspiracy, and other charges, and were initially sentenced to death.
The trio appealed their sentences, maintaining their innocence throughout the trial. Their appeals were rejected, but in a significant turn, President Félix Tshisekedi commuted their death sentences to life imprisonment last week. This decision cleared the way for their release and return to the US under a diplomatic arrangement brokered during a high-level visit by Massad Boulos, senior Africa adviser to US President Donald Trump.
Political backdrop and mineral talks
The prisoner handover comes at a sensitive time for U.S.-DRC relations. Washington is currently engaged in discussions with the Tshisekedi administration over future investment opportunities in Congo’s critical minerals sector.
Congo is a major supplier of cobalt and other strategic minerals vital to clean energy and defence technologies. The timing of the transfer has sparked speculation that the release may be linked to broader negotiations aimed at securing US access to these valuable resources.
While the DOJ insists the prosecution is based purely on criminal conduct, the context underscores how geopolitical interests and law enforcement can intersect in complex ways.
Next steps in US courts
The DOJ confirmed that all four Americans will be prosecuted under federal law. If convicted, they face lengthy prison sentences. Their cases could also reignite discussions around U.S. citizens participating in foreign conflicts, particularly in regions where US interests are increasingly under scrutiny.
The Justice Department’s aggressive stance signals a commitment to cracking down on violent plots against foreign governments, especially when such actions could endanger diplomatic relationships or regional stability.
