Israeli Mining Tycoon Dan Gertler Alleges Bot Campaign Spread Disinformation About Sanctions

The shadowy network defending a sanctioned mining tycoon in the Democratic Republic of Congo

An extensive disinformation campaign appears to be working to rehabilitate the image of Dan Gertler, an Israeli businessman sanctioned by the United States for allegedly corrupt mining deals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a new investigation by Global Witness.

Gertler was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2017 for allegedly amassing a fortune through “hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of opaque and corrupt mining and oil deals in the DRC.” At the time, the U.S. Treasury estimated the Central African nation had lost over $1.36 billion in revenues from underpriced mining assets sold to offshore companies linked to Gertler. A 2021 report by Congolese civil society coalition Le Congo N’est Pas à Vendre (“The Congo Is Not For Sale”) suggests the total lost revenue could reach as high as $3.7 billion.

The investigation reveals that dozens of bot-like accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and at least ten Congolese news websites have spread misleading claims that an Israeli arbitration cleared Gertler of all corruption allegations. These accounts have advocated for lifting U.S. sanctions against him, claiming he was wrongly accused.

This effort to whitewash Gertler’s reputation comes at a critical time for the DRC, which supplies approximately 70% of the world’s cobalt and is the second-largest copper producer globally. These minerals are crucial for the clean energy transition, used in technologies like wind turbines and electric vehicles. Mining forms the backbone of the DRC’s economy, accounting for nearly all its export revenue.

Human rights organizations have documented widespread abuses in the DRC’s mining sector, including forced evictions, child labor, unsafe working conditions, poverty wages, and sexual assault.

The arbitration at the center of the misinformation campaign was a private civil dispute between Gertler and former Israeli investors who had launched a claim against him over payments and shares they alleged he owed them. While Gertler was ordered to pay $85 million plus interest and some assets, the arbitrator rejected most of the investors’ $1.6 billion claim.

Contrary to what the Congolese news articles claimed, this private arbitration was not an investigation into the legality of Gertler’s activities in the DRC and did not have the authority to exonerate him from historic corruption allegations. The arbitrator specifically noted that the decision was only meant to settle the dispute between the parties and should not be used by anyone else.

Following Bloomberg’s reporting on the arbitration in July 2025, at least ten nearly identical articles appeared on Congolese websites falsely claiming that Gertler had been exonerated by “an independent and authorized legal body.” These articles stated that no bribes were proven—claims that directly contradict the evidence that led to the U.S. sanctions.

When approached by Global Witness, Gertler’s spokesperson denied orchestrating any media campaign in the DRC, stating: “The diversity of opinions on the Bloomberg arbitration article expressed by the Congolese media reflects the principle of free speech.” The spokesperson added that the arbitration judgment “explicitly concludes that there was no evidence of corruption in our operations.”

Several of the Congolese media outlets declined to comment or did not respond to questions about how they obtained or verified the information in their nearly identical stories.

Days after these articles were published, a prominent Congolese figure with 155,000 followers on X, Carbone Beni, called for lifting the U.S. sanctions against Gertler. His post was followed by responses from 40 accounts created in February 2025, all posting similar messages claiming the sanctions were unjust and harmful to the DRC’s interests.

Global Witness’s analysis suggests these accounts are part of a coordinated campaign. All were created in February 2025, posted on the same dates, and have email addresses following the same format. None has an identifiable owner, with at least one using a profile picture taken from a fashion brand’s website.

The investigation identified additional sets of accounts created in March, April, and July that exhibited similar bot-like behavior, suggesting an extended network potentially created at different intervals.

These accounts appear to serve a dual purpose: rehabilitating Gertler’s image and undermining Congolese civil society groups that have held him accountable. When Jimmy Kande, director of a non-profit protecting whistleblowers, posted a statement criticizing the “digital army” distorting facts about the arbitration, the same 40 bot-like accounts responded with nearly identical messages attacking him.

Beni, when approached for comment, maintained his views were “entirely independent” and based on his own analysis of developments in the Gertler case. He stated that while he initially supported sanctions, he now believes they “have served their purpose” and lifting them is necessary for the DRC to “fully benefit from its own resources in a transparent and regulated framework.”

This apparent campaign to rehabilitate Gertler’s reputation raises serious concerns about information integrity in the DRC and potential interference with accountability efforts in one of the world’s most mineral-rich yet economically challenged nations.