Pavel Prigozhin Expands Wagner's African Business Amid Kremlin Control

Yevgeny Prigozhin's son expanded Wagner Group activities in Africa and is making a fortune on weapons, drugs, and gold.

Consensus

Pavel Prigozhin has maintained control over Wagner Group operations in the Central African Republic after his father's death.
The Wagner Group in the Central African Republic is involved in gold mining, security for the president, and fighting rebel groups.
The group earns over $400 million annually from its activities in the Central African Republic.
The Central African Republic's President Faustin-Archange Touadéra supported Pavel Prigozhin by requesting Moscow not to replace Wagner fighters with regular Russian military personnel.
Wagner Group members in the Central African Republic number around 500.
The group is involved in the trafficking of weapons and narcotics.
Gold extracted by Wagner is exported under false documentation labeling it as state property.
Gold shipments have been routed through Belarus.
The Wagner Group operates media outlets that broadcast anti-Western propaganda in the Central African Republic.
Pavel Prigozhin lives in St. Petersburg but frequently travels to Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic.
The Ledger Plaza hotel in Bangui serves as a de facto Wagner headquarters.
Pavel Prigozhin inherited his father's assets, valued at 12 billion rubles, at age 25.

The BBC's Russian service correspondent Anastasiya Lotareva reported on the situation, and her organization was labeled as a foreign agent by Russian authorities. — tg_bbcrussian
The BBC's Russian service and the 'Dossier Center' were added to Russia's foreign agent registry. — tg_bbcrussian
Pavel Prigozhin is 28 years old. — tg_tvrain
Pavel Prigozhin was given control of luxury villas and multi-apartment buildings when he turned 20. — tvrain
Pavel Prigozhin's public image was curated by his father to position him as a war veteran in Syria and a drone operator in Ukraine. — tvrain
Pavel Prigozhin 'quickly took steps to remove operations in the Central African Republic from Putin's control.' — tvrain
The Wagner Group has recruited Central African rebels, who are referred to as 'black Russians.' — tvrain
Pavel Prigozhin controls the largest gold mine in the Central African Republic, which generates $250 million annually. — meduza
Pavel Prigozhin controls a significant portion of the local tramadol market and sells weapons to rebel groups in Sudan and Libya. — meduza
The Wagner Group produces and sells alcohol in the Central African Republic. — meduza
Pavel Prigozhin’s deputy, Dmitry Syty, manages radio stations broadcasting anti-Western propaganda. — meduza
Pavel Prigozhin stays at the Ledger Plaza hotel in Bangui during his visits. — meduza