A Belgian Prince, EU Millions, and a Bitcoin Scandal in Congo | Follow the Money, The Podcast #14

𝗔 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼 – 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗨 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. Virunga National Park was meant to be a model for green development, protecting nature, and supporting local communities. Instead, it became a stage for armed conflict, broken promises, and even Bitcoin mining in the rainforest. Journalist Olivier van Beemen reveals how more than 150 million euros in European aid ended up powering a failed conservation project. Despite this, the Congolese government and the EU have given the prince's foundation approval to manage a stretch of land that covers almost a quarter of the country.

• 00:00 – Controversy over Africa's national parks 
• 02:30 – Inside Olivier's investigation for Follow the Money 
• 03:30 – Where is Virunga National Park? 
• 04:40 – Violence in Virunga 
• 06:24 – Controversial poaching practices 
• 07:45 – Luxury tourism and scandals in Virunga 
• 10:38 – The Belgian prince tied to Virunga 
• 12:05 – Belgian colonial ties in Congo 
• 13:19 – Where EU money comes in – and the Bitcoin connection 
• 15:28 – A failed “green energy” project and other promises 
• 19:02 – What the EU says 
• 19:46 – The ethics problem with Bitcoin mining 
• 21:49 – Local impact 
• 23:25 – Future plans and more EU money in Congo