Gambia, U.S. Sign Agreement to Use Proceeds From Sale of Jammeh’s $3.5M Mansion to Compensate Victims

By Makutu Manneh

The governments of The Gambia and the United States have signed an agreement to repatriate funds recovered from the sale of a $3.5 million mansion in Potomac, Maryland, linked to former President Yahya Jammeh, with the money to be used to compensate victims of his 22-year rule.

The agreement, involving what are known as the “Potomac Funds,” was announced by The Gambia’s Ministry of Justice in a statement issued on Friday, September 18, 2026.

The six-bedroom property, located in the affluent Washington, D.C., suburb of Potomac, was purchased for about $3.5 million through a trust established by Jammeh’s wife, Zineb Jammeh.

The U.S. Department of Justice alleged that the mansion was acquired with proceeds from corruption, accusing Jammeh of embezzling public funds and soliciting bribes from businesses seeking monopoly rights in several sectors of the Gambian economy.

According to U.S. authorities, Jammeh worked with family members and close associates to move the funds through shell companies and overseas trusts, including money used to purchase the Maryland property.

In July 2020, the U.S. government filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to seize the mansion. A court later ordered the property forfeited to the United States, along with rental income generated from it.

At the time, U.S. authorities said they intended to sell the property and recommended that the net proceeds be used for the benefit of Gambians who suffered as a result of Jammeh’s corruption and abuse of office.

The property was identified through investigations that included findings from The Gambia’s Commission of Inquiry into the Financial Activities of Public Bodies, Enterprises and Offices as Regards Their Dealings with Former President Yahya Jammeh and Connected Matters, commonly known as the Janneh Commission.

Under the newly signed agreement, the recovered proceeds will be transferred to the Reparations Fund at the Central Bank of The Gambia. The fund is independently administered by the Reparations Commission.

The Ministry of Justice said the agreement represents an important step in the country’s transitional justice and reparations process and reflects a commitment to ensuring that recovered assets are used to provide redress to victims.

“The government considers the recovery of these funds and their use for reparations as a demonstration of its commitment to victim-centered justice, accountability and transparency,” the ministry said. “The funds will contribute to efforts to provide redress to victims who suffered harm during the former regime.”

The Gambian government also expressed appreciation to the United States for its cooperation in recovering and repatriating the funds.

It reaffirmed its commitment to working with national and international partners to recover additional assets linked to the former regime and ensure that recovered funds are ultimately used for the benefit of Gambians.