Prigozhin owns or controls two companies that conduct mining operations in CAR: the Russia-based M Finans and CAR-based Lobaye Invest. M Finans’s main lines of business are the mining of precious metals and the provision of private security services. M Finans has also been linked to Concord Catering, a Prigozhin-controlled company that OFAC designated in March 2018 for providing material assistance to the IRA and in 2017 for being owned or controlled by Prigozhin. Lobaye Invest was founded in CAR in October 2017 and specializes in the extraction of gold and diamonds, both lucrative exports of CAR. Both M Finans and Lobaye Invest have been linked to PMC Wagner’s operations in CAR. M Finans and Lobaye Invest are being designated for being owned or controlled by Prigozhin pursuant to E.O. 13848; E.O. 13694, as amended; and E.O. 13661.

Dmitry Sergeevich Sytii (Sytii) is Prigozhin’s employee and the founder of Lobaye Invest. Sytii has also worked for the IRA. Yevgeniy Khodotov (Khodotov) has served as the director of Lobaye Invest. Alexander Yuryevich Kuzin (Kuzin) is Prigozhin’s employee operating in CAR. Sytii, Khodotov, and Kuzin have all been involved in Prigozhin’s CAR operations since 2017, and are being designated for their work on behalf of Prigozhin pursuant to E.O. 13848; E.O. 13694, as amended; and E.O. 13661.

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm1133