American detained in failed Congo coup is former DC drug dealer and married father-of-three who was running gold mining and e-cigarette business with slain mission’s leader

One of three Americans involved in a disastrous coup attempt in Congo is a married father of three from Washington DC with a drug trafficking conviction.

Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 36, was one of three US citizens seen in the West African country on Sunday before the coup’s apparent leader, Christian Malanga, was shot dead.

Malanga’s American son Marcel and another unknown American man were captured and paraded around after the failed coup. Zalman-Polun’s passport was cheerfully displayed by the victorious troops.

According to several African news sources, Zalman-Polun and Malanga were jointly involved in gold mining in Mozambique. The business partners also reportedly worked together in the e-cigarette industry in Mozambique.

In 2014, the D.C. resident pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute 50 pounds or less of marijuana in D.C. between October 2011 and April 2012, according to legal documents seen by DailyMail.com.

Zalman-Polun is a married father of three children. According to his wife Hannah Polun’s social media, the family had been living in the affluent coastal town of Ballito, South Africa for the past few years.

In April, Hannah posted to a Facebook group inquiring about the best places in the country to build her family’s home.

In 2020, she asked for recommendations for a midwife or doula before having her third child in South Africa.

She wrote: We are looking for a place near the ocean (but if you have an area that meets all the other criteria but not this one, I’m open to hearing about it)

‘access to organic farms and organic stores with natural products… we have young children and very important would be access to things like libraries and activities for children.’

‘we homeschool (deschool) our kids so it would be great if there was a homeschooling community nearby, forest school options, co-ops etc.’

In the early hours of Sunday, a group of about 50 men armed in camouflage clothing attacked the homes of the prime minister, the defense minister and a senior politician who the military said would become speaker of parliament.

Chilling footage was captured as two of the plotters were captured as they tried to flee the country across the Congo River before pleading for mercy for Congolese soldiers as they lay bleeding in the streets.

Marcel Malanga was one of them. He accompanied his former father, a former refugee, from their home in Utah to the Central African country to lead the coup against the autocratic government of President Felix Tshisekedi.

A Facebook page appearing to belong to Malanga posted a live-streamed video of what appeared to be the attack.

‘We, the militants, are tired. We cannot continue with Tshisekedi and Kamerhe, they have done too many stupid things in this country,” Malanga said in Lingala in the video.

US Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn said in a social media post that she was “very concerned” by reports that US citizens were involved in the events.

“We can be assured that we will cooperate fully with the authorities of the DRC in investigating these criminal acts and holding every American citizen involved in criminal acts accountable,” she said.

The US Embassy had previously issued a security alert for “continued activities by security elements from the DRC” and reports of gunfire in the area.

Christian Malanga moved to Salt Lake City with his family in 1998 as a 15-year-old refugee, but returned to Congo in 2006, where he served in the army and ran for parliament in 2011, but was arrested two days before the elections .

He tried to build his United Congolese Party in exile after returning to the US in 2012 and was accused by Congolese intelligence of plotting the assassination of then-President Joseph Kabila.

Eight years after arriving in the US, Malanga returned to his homeland to perform military service, rising to the rank of captain in 2007. During this period he had at least 235 soldiers under his command.

After failed attempts to enter politics in the DRC, Malanga returned to the US in 2012 but remained active in the country’s affairs during his exile.

Malanga, who had previously threatened on social media to overthrow Tshisekedi, staged his first failed coup in 2017, according to army spokesman Sylvain Ekenge.

The army shared a photo of his body sprawled on the grass in blood-stained clothing.

In the ministry video, a detained man described as a recruiter for Malanga’s cause says Malanga planned to declare himself president.

“He indicated that he received support from the Americans, but we realize that he actually did not have it,” said the detainee.

The U.S. ambassador has said the United States will fully cooperate with Congolese authorities and hold all affected U.S. citizens accountable.

Marcel appears to have had a completely average upbringing in the US. He graduated in 2020 from Copper Hills High School in the community of West Jordan, Utah, where he was also a star football player.

After high school, he went on to play for the Utah Islanders, a team that helps develop players in college football.

However, his social media is full of references to war and images of assault weapons.

Almost a year ago, Marcel shared a photo with his father and wrote: ‘honored that you are my earthly father. I can’t wait to change the world with you.’