Diamond Magnate at the Heart of Och-Ziff’s Africa Ambitions
- Gertler gave firm access to exclusive mineral deals in Congo
- Billionaire said under U.S. scrutiny as Och-Ziff admits bribes
Dan Gertler.
Photographer: Simon Dawson/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Dan Gertler, an Israeli diamond tycoon, gave Och-Ziff access to some of the richest mineral deposits in Africa.
Using his close ties to the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gertler developed a virtual monopoly in the country’s diamond exports for a time. He then expanded into other types of mining, becoming a billionaire. Capitalizing on his resourcefulness, Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC created a joint venture in 2008 that invested in Gertler’s operations in Congo through a web of companies.