Three American citizens who were convicted and sentenced to death in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for their roles in a failed coup attempt last year have been quietly repatriated and are now in U.S. custody, according to officials familiar with the matter.
The men—Marcel Malanga, 21, Tyler Thompson Jr., 21, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, 36—were part of a small group that tried to overthrow the government of President Félix Tshisekedi in May 2024. Their return to the United States follows months of quiet negotiations between Washington and Kinshasa, as well as renewed U.S. interest in securing access to the DRC’s critical mineral reserves amid regional instability.
Marcel Malanga, the son of the late opposition figure and coup leader Christian Malanga, was thrust into the spotlight when footage of the coup attempt circulated on social media. His father, who livestreamed part of the assault on the presidential palace in Kinshasa, was later shot dead after reportedly resisting arrest. Marcel has since claimed he was coerced into participating by his father.
Tyler Thompson, a friend of the younger Malanga from Utah, is believed to have been lured to the Congo under the false pretense of a vacation. His family insists he had no idea he would be involved in any political activity, let alone a coup. Zalman-Polun, who has past business ties to Christian Malanga through a gold mining company, was also among those handed death sentences by a military tribunal in September 2024.
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The U.S. State Department, while acknowledging the serious nature of the offenses, emphasized the need for due process and humane treatment. “We strongly condemn the armed attacks of May 19th and support the DRC authorities in holding those responsible accountable,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. “At the same time, we’ve consistently advocated for fair and humane treatment of our citizens.”
Behind the scenes, however, the men’s repatriation coincides with a broader diplomatic push. The DRC is currently navigating a surge in violence in its eastern provinces, where the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group has been mounting a significant offensive. The U.S. has expressed interest in offering security assistance in exchange for privileged access to the DRC’s vast mineral wealth—resources critical to the global clean energy transition.
Though details of the agreement remain undisclosed, analysts believe the prisoner handover could be part of a larger minerals-for-security deal being quietly hammered out between the two nations.
For now, the three Americans will reportedly serve out their sentences in U.S. custody, avoiding execution in the DRC. But the episode has raised lingering questions about how young Americans were caught up in a foreign insurrection, and how the U.S. balances justice, diplomacy, and strategic interest abroad.
Back in Kinshasa, the memory of the failed coup remains fresh. And in Washington, the government now finds itself holding three American citizens who went to Africa and found themselves on the wrong side of history.
