Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, the wife of former Gabonese President Ali Bongo, faces serious allegations of orchestrating the transfer of millions into a Geneva bank account. These transactions are believed to be linked to the embezzlement of public funds from Gabon.

Authorities in Geneva have been actively investigating the former Gabonese first lady since 2023, focusing on an alleged money laundering scheme involving Sylvia Bongo Ondimba.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Geneva has officially confirmed that a comprehensive money laundering investigation is currently underway.

As part of these proceedings, Swiss officials sought judicial cooperation from Gabon. Although Libreville initially did not respond to this request for mutual assistance, the Gabonese state has since formally joined the case as a plaintiff before the Geneva courts. Sylvia Bongo challenged this move, but the Criminal Appeals Chamber of Geneva upheld Gabon’s right to participate in the legal process in late May.

This Swiss inquiry comes at a time when Sylvia Bongo has already been sentenced in absentia to a 20-year prison term in Gabon for charges related to the embezzlement of funds.