José Veiga, a Portuguese businessman, became known as "Monsieur Afrique" through an extensive network of contacts and business dealings on the African continent. Over a decade of investigation, authorities uncovered a corruption scheme involving public contracts worth 2.5 billion euros in the Republic of Congo, an oil-rich country.
The Atlantic Route case revealed corruption practices that included surprising forms of bribery, such as the delivery of ostriches and ponies as a form of payment or favor. These seemingly absurd transactions reportedly served as a mechanism to facilitate the securing of public contracts in the African oil state.
The investigation took ten years to complete, exposing the extent of the relationships between businessmen and high-ranking officials in the Republic of Congo. The scheme reportedly involved various companies and intermediaries operating through a complex network of personal and political connections.
