The testimony and documents provided by the whistleblower “Alpha” reveal the mismanagement of mining companies controlled by Orion Resource Partners.

  • Alufer and Bel Air Mining are two companies controlled by Orion Resource Partners, a New York-based investment fund holding a mining permit for a bauxite mine in Guinea, located in Boffa Prefecture, at the heart of the Boké region.
  • The testimony and documents provided by the whistleblower suggest that these companies attempted to circumvent Guinean regulations to export the mineral.
  • In June 2023, a barge chartered by Alufer spilled approximately 7,500 tons of bauxite and fuel into the open sea, causing significant pollution. The companies allegedly tried to bribe Guinean officials to reduce the penalty amount.
  • Orion, Alufer, and Bel Air Mining have denied all allegations of corruption and bribery, stating that they have commissioned an international consulting firm to conduct an “independent,” “comprehensive,” and “thorough” investigation.
  • Local communities have been deprived of the benefits of mining operations for years.

I’ve been sickened over the months by everything I’ve seen”, explains Alpha, the Guinean whistleblower supported by the Platform for the Protection of Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF), who preferred to remain anonymous because of the reprisals he has already suffered. “All I wanted was to contribute to the development of my country by providing my expertise in the mining sector.” 

Instead of answering for serious misconduct, the management of the companies for which the whistleblower worked did everything in their power to hush up the business they were involved in. In 2022, Alpha’s ordeal began as the American investment fund Orion Resource Partners took control of Alufer Mining Limited, a company registered in the tax haven island of Guernsey. Together with its subsidiary Bel Air Mining, where the whistleblower worked, Alufer holds a licence to operate a bauxite mine in the Boffa prefecture, at the heart of the Boke region and rich in natural resources. 

Guinea holds the world’s largest reserves of this mineral, which is used to produce aluminium. It is the second-largest producer globally, yet nearly half of its population lives below the poverty line. The country ranks among the ten least developed nations in the world, according to the United Nations Human Development Index. The main factors behind this are endemic corruption, poor governance, and political instability.

Within this context, this investigation and Alpha’s revelations highlight the devastating environmental and economic impact of irresponsible and fraudulent practices by foreign mining companies operating in resource-rich countries like Guinea. Moreover, tax evasion and corruption deprive the state of essential revenue needed for national development, while weak regulatory oversight fosters impunity, allowing these companies to disregard both the state and local Guinean populations.

Orion Resource Partners

On the other side of the Atlantic, Orion Resource Partners, based in New York and registered in another tax haven, Delaware, manages a portfolio worth around 8 billion USD. Orion presents itself as a multinational alternative investment management firm and as an investment advisory company to the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the country’s financial regulatory authority. 

Orion managed to take control of the bauxite mine operated by Alufer Mining and its subsidiary BAM in Guinea, thanks to the 80% debt it owed Alufer. The loan, granted to Alufer by Orion, included clauses allowing it to be converted into capital in the event of payment default, which occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

When Orion took over Alufer/BAM, it appointed British national Jeff Couch as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and as Board Member. He, along with fellow Briton and Orion Managing Director Michael Barton, who was already on the board, became the sole decision-makers. “It already was suspicious,” says Alpha, “because having only two members on a board of directors is not very many and limits supervision.”

Jeff Couch is an interesting character. He calls himself a ‘Yankee’ when he is not an American, and has been known to threaten to involve the CIA and the U.S. State Department. A former executive at Credit Suisse and BMO Capital Markets in London, he presents himself as an expert in institutional investment strategies in the metals and mining sector. He also serves as a director for several other companies, including Gabriel Resources Limited, which held the mining license for the Roşia Montană project in Romania until June. According to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), this project is linked to Israeli businessman Beny Steinmetz, who was convicted in Switzerland for corruption related to his dealings in Guinea.


Business recovery tainted with fraud and suspicions of corruption 

Under the management of Orion and Jeff Couch, suspicions of fraud and corruption flourished throughout 2023, according to Alpha. The whistleblower provided PPLAAF with conversations, emails, internal documents from Alufer/BAM, and others issued by the Guinean government. Hundreds of pages of documentation and his testimony reveal that Orion’s primary goal was to export at minimal cost, often disregarding the country’s laws and regulations.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bel Air mine had suspended production. In January 2023, Jeff Couch attempted to resume exports at all costs without declaring it to the government authorities, a move that was immediately flagged by the Ministry of Mines. He acknowledged this himself in a message, telling Alpha on January 20, 2023: “Just been told ministry of mine told SPIC that we cannot load until they come to site.”

On 12 February 2023, the customs authorities blocked one of their barges. An agreement was reached to pay USD 10 000 to the local manager, a certain Colonel Touré. According to Alpha, this sum would be paid in cash and not into the Treasury. But when, on 17 February, the cargo still hadn’t been released, Jeff Couch became impatient. “Would more money help?” he asked Alpha bluntly.


This is not the only wrongful act committed by Alufer/BAM in February 2023. With the suspension of operations during the Covid-19 pandemic, the loading dock at the mine became sedimented and the importation of a dredging vessel was necessary. Alufer/BAM hired a foreign consultant to handle the procurement process and a contract was signed with a Spanish company, Dravo SA, to rent one of its vessels.

This time, Guinean Customs discovered that the declared value of the vessel was four times lower than its actual price, which affected the amount of taxes and customs duties to be paid. Alpha reported this to Jeff Couch, who seemed to acknowledge the issue: “Everything is always such a mess with this company”. But instead of taking action against those responsible internally and engaging with the relevant authorities, the management of Alufer/BAM decided to hire a “freight agent” into whose account the amounts owed to the public treasury were paid.  “There must have been corruption here too, because the amount paid still does not correspond to what should have been paid into the state coffers if the real value of the boat had been declared“, commented Alpha.

The same year, Alufer/BAM would also have had to pay customs duties for the import, five years earlier, of equipment placed under the temporary admission regime by one of its subsidiaries, Brute Guinée. At the end of this exemption period, the company would have had to either re-export the equipment or pay taxes calculated on the discounted value of the equipment, estimated at several million US dollars. The company’s management decided that the equipment was depreciated and therefore worthless, and transferred it to BAM without informing the government, explains Alpha. He reports this to the customs authorities. “It was a huge loss of revenue for the State, they should have paid the State several million dollars”, he sighs. 

The impact of bauxite mining on local populations and the environment in Guinea 

These revelations come at a time when Guinea has been ruled by a military junta since the 5 September 2021 coup. Its leader, Colonel Doumbouya, has repeatedly called on mining operators, demanding “strict compliance with legal and contractual obligations” and pointing out that “the Guinean population remains in clear poverty”. Bauxite mining can have a serious negative impact on the health and environment of local populations.

According to a 2018 Human Rights Watch report, dust generated by the mining and transport of bauxite invades the homes and fields of people living near the mines, raising concerns about air quality and health risks. Additionally, these activities undermine water resources, affecting rivers, streams, and underground springs, which compromises access to drinking water and the irrigation of agricultural land essential to communities. 

Alufer/BAM had promised to invest more than 15 million dollars to restart the mine, but Alpha never saw any evidence of it. “They weren’t doing any community projects,” he explains. “They weren’t paying their Guinean subcontractors, like the local transport company Maliguia, which eventually went bankrupt.” Several WhatsApp conversations with Jeff Couch confirm the growing discontent.

A serious case of pollution: Negligence, suspicions of corruption, and obstruction of investigations to reduce sanctions  


What finally disgusted Alpha was a serious case of pollution that took place in June 2023 in the Gulf of Guinea. On 9 June, a barge chartered by Alufer and its subcontractors was damaged at sea and discharged its cargo, about 7,500 tons of bauxite and fuel, causing significant pollution. 

Since bauxite contains toxic and radioactive substances, its discharge can lead to the destruction of critical marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangroves, as well as suffocate many species of fish and crustaceans by contaminating the food chain. This disaster also directly affected local fishermen whose livelihoods depend on these marine resources.

The day after the accident, Alufer/BAM’s management was contacted by one of its subcontractors, the Wansa Group, a British company that claims to specialise in the trade of energy and agricultural commodities. Wansa manages all commercial and transshipment operations for Alufer/BAM. One of Alufer/BAM’s executives immediately responded to Wansa: “Please ensure that the team communicates and informs the Guinean authorities of this unfortunate incident.” However, the Guinean Mining Code clearly states that when the accident is serious or fatal it is the responsibility of the two mining license holders to inform authorities within 72 or 24 hours.


Neither Wansa nor STS informed authorities. As a result, on 16 June, the Ministry of Mines wrote to BAM again requesting a “temporary halt to loading operations” by its vessels. It said that it had received confirmation of the accident from fishermen and its technical services on the ground, and requested “a detailed report”.


An initial report was finally sent to the Prefect of Boffa on 17 June, three days after the first field investigation by  government services.

Alpha also provided PPLAAF with the BAM internal investigation report which confirmed numerous failings in the management of Alufer/BAM and its subcontractors. In addition to failing to communicate the incident to the authorities, the report highlights BAM’s “poor supervision on fleet quality”, with barges showing “signs of fatigue” and “poor practices of maintenance”. The incident could have been avoided, but “warnings or suggestions made by BAM marine’s team on STS fleet condition monitoring have not been heeded by BAM’s management”. Further, “BAM’s Marine and Safety Teams have no knowledge of the Wansa and STS contract”.


This is not just negligence or even ignorance. Rather, Alpha claims that Jeff Couch and his associates pressured their teams to get exports resumed immediately. On 22 June, he told him in no uncertain terms in a WhatsApp message that if this did not happen, “the mine will be bankrupt” and “everyone will be fired.” 


Jeff Couch specifically insists that the Chairman of BAM’s Board of Directors, Aboubacar Kagbè Touré, intervene with the Minister of Mines or “his salary will also stop”. But Touré is not Couch’s employee. Under the Mining Code, the Guinean state holds a 20% stake in the mine and appointed him to the post to protect its interests. Nevertheless, Jeff Couch pays him certain benefits in kind, according to Alpha. For example, a few months earlier, in March 2023, the Guinean official had obtained USD 10 000 paid directly into his personal bank account from Couch officially to attend a conference in Miami, according to emails and invoices provided. However, rather than representing BAM, he would present himself as Director of the Société Guinéenne du Patrimoine Minier (Soguipami), according to the institution’s website. 

PPLAAF contacted Aboubacar Kagbé Touré. He claims to have traveled to Miami as “Chairman of Alufer,” which he cannot be, as the Guinean state is not a shareholder in that company. However, he added that the payment mentioned was made in accordance with Ohada rules.

The Minister obviously wants a b[r]ibe

– Jeff Couch


Worse still, to obtain the lowest possible penalty, Alufer Mining/BAM also tried to obstruct the government’s investigations into the barge accident. On 25 June, Couch wrote to Alpha that “the divers’ involved in the investigation were “creating a bit of issues” and that he had advised Wansa Group’s country manager in Guinea, Karim El Ghawi, “to call them and tell them to back off.”They are there for inspection and photos not option.”

Alpha claims that under Couch’s orders, Karim El Ghawi bribed officials at the Ministry of Mines and even sought to influence the Minister himself. His WhatsApp conversations with the two individuals appear to confirm this. On 30 June, El Ghawi asked the whistleblower to find the name of the Minister’s wife and to ask the head of the investigation team “how we can do it”. “He certainly knows the network”, he added. On 4 July, Jeff Couch himself told him that “the Minister obviously wants a b[r]ibe”. 

However, Couch was mistaken and the Minister finally imposed the maximum penalty. In a letter dated 10 July 2023, a penalty of 60.2 billion Guinean francs, or just under 7 million USD, was imposed. Before allowing exports to resume, the Minister demanded payment of at least a third of the fine and asked them to write an apology letter.

The new Minister of Mines, Bouna Sylla, stated that he continues to maintain “close monitoring” to ensure that they operate in accordance with the applicable laws.

The Guinean gendarmerie subsequently launched an investigation, and on 23 October 2023 arrested Karim El Ghawi on “allegations of corruption”. On the WhatsApp account of one of El Ghawi’s phones, they discovered evidence of solicitation and even of money being sent to an official in the Ministry of Mines, the same official who had announced the suspension of exports to Alufer/BAM. El Ghawi explained that he was “there for anything” and that he was making “a small gesture for the weekend” by transferring an unspecified amount from his ‘Orange Money’ account. He also told him that he would “find something of his own to motivate the team” responsible for investigating the case, despite the fact that the payment of per diems is governed by Guinean law. “The investigations conducted on this device reveal clues related to the corruption alleged against Mr Karim El Ghawi,” concludes the gendarmerie report. 

The document, drawn up on 25 October, also aims to determine whether Karim El Ghawi helped Douglass Ross, BAM’s Director of Operations, whose passport had been seized, to leave the country. The gendarmerie suspects that he was aware of this and even “provided services to Ross to enable him to carry out his wishes.”

The Wansa Group and Karim El-Ghawi did not respond to our questions. El-Ghawi had been appointed in August 2023 as the local managing director of Bel Air Mining and its subsidiary Brute Guinea. He remained in this position despite his arrest and the investigation by the Guinean gendarmerie, at least until March 2024. In this capacity, he is one of the complainants against Alpha.

Contacted by PPLAAF, Orion and Alufer deny any allegations of corruption and bribery (see full statements below), and even claim to have been informed about some of the issues, stating that they had mandated the international consulting firm JS Held to conduct an “independent,” “thorough,” and “comprehensive” investigation. This investigation allegedly concluded that no wrongdoing occurred, but the investigation report has not been shared with PPLAAF. Both companies assert that they operate with the highest standards in governance, anti-corruption efforts, and compliance with their social obligations.

The testimonies of two other former employees and one of the shareholders and founders of Alufer/BAM, gathered by Le Monde newspaper, confirm the statements and documents provided by Alpha, the whistleblower. According to them, the Guinean state imposed a heavy penalty of approximately 70 billion Guinean francs on Alufer/BAM for tax and customs fraud related to the importation of equipment by its subsidiary Brute Guinea, now bankrupt, and its transfer to BAM.

The documents they provided confirm the extent of Alufer/BAM’s debts to its suppliers and subcontractors, especially Guinean ones. In September 2024, BAM had a debt of more than 12 million USD, whereas before Orion’s takeover, it was 1.6 million USD according to its financial statements as of 31 December 2021.

PPLAAF possesses documents showing that Alpha contacted Orion and Alufer multiple times by email between August and September 2023. Instead of receiving a response and protection, the whistleblower faced various retaliatory measures, including dismissal, lawsuits, and injunctions, for reasons including breach of trust and fraud. The whistleblower won all of these cases in first instance. The management of Bel Air Mining and Brute Guinea have appealed these decisions.

“In a context where corruption infects many institutions in Guinea, whistleblowers play a crucial role in exposing the excesses and abuses that affect the management of natural resources, the rights of local populations, and the environment,” said Jimmy Kande, PPLAAF West and Francophone Africa Director. “The testimony of individuals like Alpha, who brought to light the shortcomings of Alufer/BAM, shows how essential these voices are in breaking the silence around the illegal or irresponsible practices of companies.”

Responses to PPLAAF


Alufer:

“In 2023, certain allegations were reported to the Board of Alufer, following which, an independent and comprehensive investigation was conducted by JS Held. This investigation concluded that there had been no wrongdoing by Alufer. Alufer strongly denies any allegations of illegality or improper behaviour. Alufer is committed to enforcing the highest standards of governance and social responsibility.”

Orion: 

“Orion operates to the highest standards of governance and has robust anti-bribery and corruptions policies which it operates under and which it expects all investee companies to operate under.  Orion became aware of certain allegations in 2023 and ensured that an extensive independent investigation into these allegations was conducted by JS Held, to a scope satisfactory to Orion and other key stakeholders in Alufer. This investigation, conducted by a third party, ultimately concluded that there had been no wrongdoing by Alufer.”

Share the story:

#GuineaConakry: Alpha, a Guinean whistleblower supported by @PPLAAF, faced retaliation after revealing fraud, attempts of corruption, environmental violations by Alufer Mining and Bel Air Mining, two companies controlled by American investment fund Orion Resource Partners. ⬇️

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