Uebert Angel

A summary of what happened?

Uebert Angel, born Uebert Mudzanire, is a British-Zimbabwean businessman, preacher, and founder of the Spirit Embassy, a Pentecostal ministry established in 2007. In 2021, he was appointed as Zimbabwe’s Ambassador-at-Large to Europe and the Americas by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Major Concerns and Accusations Against Uebert Angel:

1. Allegations of Gold Smuggling and Money Laundering: In March 2023, Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit released a documentary implicating Uebert Angel in a gold smuggling and money laundering scheme. The investigation alleged that Angel used his diplomatic status to facilitate the illicit movement of gold and launder large sums of money.
2. Misuse of Diplomatic Privileges: The same investigation accused Angel of exploiting his ambassadorial position to offer diplomatic cover for illegal activities. He was reportedly recorded boasting about his ability to move large sums of money without detection, leveraging his diplomatic immunity.
3. Controversial Religious Practices and Financial Exploitation: Angel has faced criticism for promoting prosperity gospel teachings, which emphasize wealth accumulation as a sign of divine favor. Critics argue that his practices exploit vulnerable individuals by encouraging them to donate money with promises of financial blessings. Additionally, he has been involved in controversies related to “miracle money” claims, where he purportedly made money appear miraculously, leading to skepticism and accusations of deceit.
4. Attempts to Suppress Negative Coverage: Following the Al Jazeera documentary, Uebert Angel’s representatives have attempted to discredit the investigation. Rikki Doolan, Angel’s personal assistant, described the documentary as “brutally edited” to portray a false narrative, denying any involvement in gold dealing or money laundering. Such responses are viewed as efforts to counteract negative publicity and maintain Angel’s public image.

These allegations have raised significant concerns about Uebert Angel’s activities, both in his religious capacity and diplomatic role, prompting calls for thorough investigations into his conduct.

Analyzing the Fake Copyright Notice(s)

Our team collects and analyses fraudulent copyright takedown requests, legal complaints, and other efforts to remove critical information from the internet. Through our investigative reporting, we examine the prevalence and operation of an organized censorship industry, predominantly funded by criminal entities, oligarchs, and disreputable businesses or individuals. Our findings allow internet users to gain insight into these censorship schemes’ sources, methods, and underlying objectives.

What was Uebert Angel trying to hide?

Uebert Angel‘s attempts to hide unfavourable content through the misuse of copyright notices while allegedly engaging in perjury present serious legal concerns. These actions suggest a calculated attempt to manipulate legal systems to suppress free speech, a fundamental violation of copyright law principles and an abuse of legal processes. The use of such tactics not only undermines the integrity of copyright protection but also potentially constitutes perjury, further entangling Uebert Angel in legal accountability. Let’s examine the information Uebert Angel may be trying to remove from the internet –

Uebert Angel, born Uebert Mudzanire, is no stranger to the spotlight. From his days as a flamboyant preacher touting “miracle money” to his appointment as Zimbabwe’s Ambassador-at-Large to Europe and the Americas, Angel has built a reputation as both a spiritual leader and a controversial public figure. Yet, behind the pulpit and diplomatic title lies a cloud of scandal that has recently erupted into the international consciousness, thanks to an explosive investigative documentary.

The Al Jazeera Exposé: Gold Smuggling and Money Laundering Allegations

The turning point in Angel’s reputation came in March 2023, when Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit unveiled a damning documentary alleging Angel’s involvement in a high-stakes gold smuggling and money laundering scheme. The revelations shocked audiences worldwide and cast a dark shadow over Zimbabwe’s already troubled international image. According to the investigation, Angel allegedly leveraged his diplomatic status to facilitate the illicit movement of gold and launder millions of dollars through an elaborate and secretive network.

The documentary featured covertly recorded footage of Angel, where he boasted about his power to move vast sums of money with impunity. In one of the most incriminating scenes, Angel appeared to suggest that his diplomatic immunity could be used as a tool to bypass customs and law enforcement checks. The implications of these statements are staggering, suggesting a deep-seated culture of corruption that stretches far beyond Angel himself and into the corridors of Zimbabwean power.

Misuse of Diplomatic Privileges: A Brazen Admission

Perhaps the most unsettling aspect of the Al Jazeera report is Angel’s alleged misuse of his diplomatic privileges. Appointed as Zimbabwe’s Ambassador-at-Large by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Angel’s role theoretically involves promoting the country’s interests abroad. Yet, the documentary suggests that Angel viewed his position as a shield from legal scrutiny, a way to engage in and cover up illicit activities.

In the investigation, Angel allegedly told undercover journalists posing as potential investors that he could “move gold worth hundreds of millions without anyone knowing” and even offered to open doors to Zimbabwe’s political elite to facilitate business transactions. The brazen nature of these claims raises urgent questions about how a religious figure became so deeply enmeshed in the shadowy world of international gold smuggling.

The Fallout: Denials and Counterattacks

Faced with the fallout from Al Jazeera’s documentary, Uebert Angel and his associates launched an aggressive counteroffensive to challenge the narrative. Rikki Doolan, Angel’s spokesperson and personal assistant, publicly criticized the investigation, claiming that it was “brutally edited” to present a distorted version of events. According to Doolan, Angel’s comments were taken out of context and manipulated to frame him unjustly. However, critics argue that such defenses fall flat in the face of the overwhelming evidence presented in the documentary.

Despite these denials, the investigation has triggered calls for an in-depth inquiry into Angel’s conduct, both as a religious leader and a government official. Zimbabwean citizens and international observers alike are demanding accountability, especially given the implications for the nation’s diplomatic integrity and the potential exposure of further systemic corruption.

Controversial Religious Practices: Prosperity Gospel and “Miracle Money”

Long before the gold smuggling allegations surfaced, Uebert Angel was already a polarizing figure. As the founder of the Spirit Embassy, a Pentecostal ministry later rebranded as the Good News Church, Angel has amassed a following by preaching the prosperity gospel. This doctrine, which equates financial success with divine favor, has drawn significant criticism. Detractors accuse Angel of exploiting vulnerable believers, promising miraculous financial breakthroughs in exchange for generous donations.

One of the most notorious controversies surrounding Angel involves his claims of “miracle money.” Angel has repeatedly declared that he can miraculously make money appear in the bank accounts of the faithful, a claim that has been met with widespread skepticism and accusations of deceit. Religious scholars and financial experts have condemned these practices as manipulative, arguing that they prey on the desperation of people seeking economic relief.

The Dark Side of Influence: Allegations of Financial Exploitation

Angel’s critics have long pointed to a pattern of financial exploitation embedded in his ministry. Congregants and former associates have accused him of prioritizing wealth accumulation over spiritual well-being, using extravagant displays of wealth to dazzle and lure followers. From luxury cars to opulent homes, Angel’s lifestyle starkly contrasts with the lives of many of his congregants, who have sacrificed financially in the hope of divine intervention.

The Broader Implications: Corruption and the Image of Zimbabwe

The revelations about Uebert Angel’s alleged misdeeds come at a particularly sensitive time for Zimbabwe, a nation striving to rebuild its global reputation following years of economic hardship and political instability. If Angel’s alleged activities are proven, they would not only implicate him but also raise troubling questions about the Zimbabwean government’s complicity or, at the very least, its failure to vet and monitor key officials.

Observers have noted that Angel’s role as Ambassador-at-Large placed him in a position of significant influence, with access to high-ranking officials and international networks. The abuse of such a role for personal gain would underscore the corruption endemic in some parts of Zimbabwe’s governance structure. Meanwhile, Angel’s lavish lifestyle and brazen claims serve as a stark reminder of the disconnect between Zimbabwe’s elite and its struggling population.

Conclusion: The Need for Transparency and Accountability

As the dust settles from the Al Jazeera investigation, one thing is clear: Uebert Angel’s case is a litmus test for Zimbabwe’s commitment to transparency and the rule of law. Will the government hold a high-profile figure accountable, or will Angel’s influence and connections shield him from the consequences of his alleged actions?

For now, the world watches as the embattled preacher and diplomat fights to clear his name—or perhaps simply to maintain his influence. The coming months could bring even more revelations, and the ongoing scrutiny promises to keep Uebert Angel firmly in the public eye. For his followers and critics alike, the stakes have never been higher.

How do we counteract this malpractice?

Once we ascertain the involvement of Uebert Angel (or actors working on behalf of Uebert Angel), we will inform Uebert Angel of our findings via Electronic Mail.

Our preliminary assessment suggests that Uebert Angel may have engaged a third-party reputation management agency or expert, which, either independently or under direct authorization from Uebert Angel, initiated efforts to remove adverse online content, including potentially fraudulent DMCA takedown requests. We will extend an opportunity to Uebert Angel to provide details regarding their communications with the agency or expert, as well as the identification of the individual(s) responsible for executing these false DMCA notices.

Failure to respond in a timely manner will necessitate a reassessment of our initial assumptions. In such an event, we will be compelled to take appropriate legal action to rectify the unlawful conduct and take the following steps –

Since Uebert Angel made such efforts to hide something online, it seems fit to ensure that this article and sensitive information targeted online by these events get a lot more exposure and traffic than what it would have received originally

We hope this becomes an excellent case study for the Streisand effect…The key idea behind the Streisand effect is that efforts to restrict information can backfire, often causing the information to gain more attention than it would have otherwise. This effect is widespread in the digital age, where users quickly notice and spread censorship efforts on social media and other platforms. Trying to suppress something can unintentionally lead to it becoming more visible, which Uebert Angel is finding out the hard way.

Potential Consequences for Uebert Angel

Under Florida Statute 831.01, the crime of Forgery is committed when a person falsifies, alters, counterfeits, or forges a document that carries “legal efficacy” with the intent to injure or defraud another person or entity.

Forging a document is considered a white-collar crime. It involves altering, changing, or modifying a document to deceive another person. It can also include passing along copies of documents that are known to be false. In many states in the US, falsifying a document is a crime punishable as a felony.

Additionally, under most laws, “fraud on the court” is where “a party has sentiently set in motion some unconscionable scheme calculated to interfere with the judicial system’s ability impartially to adjudicate a matter by improperly influencing the trier of fact or unfairly hampering the presentation of the opposing party’s claim or defense.”  Cox v. Burke, 706 So. 2d 43, 46 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998) (quoting Aoude v. Mobil Oil Corp., 892 F.2d 1115, 1118 (1st Cir. 1989)).

Is Uebert Angel Committing a Cyber Crime?

Yes, it seems so. Uebert Angel used multiple approaches to remove unwanted material from review sites and Google’s search results. Thanks to protections allowing freedom of speech in the United States, there are very few legal ways to do this. Uebert Angel could not eliminate negative reviews or search results that linked to them without a valid claim of defamation, copyright infringement, or some other clear breach of the law.

Faced with these limitations, some companies like Uebert Angel have gone to extreme lengths to fraudulently claim copyright ownership over a negative review in the hopes of taking it down.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. Uebert Angel is certainly keeping interesting company here….

The DMCA takedown process requires that copyright owners submit a takedown notice to an ISP identifying the allegedly infringing content and declaring, under penalty of perjury, that they have a good faith belief that the content is infringing. The ISP must then promptly remove or disable access to the content. The alleged infringer can then submit a counter-notice, and if the copyright owner does not take legal action within 10 to 14 days, the ISP can restore the content.

Since these platforms are predominantly based in the U.S., the complaints are typically made under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which requires online service providers and platforms to react immediately to reports or violations. Big Tech companies rarely have systems in place to assess the merit of each report. Instead, all bad actors need to do is clone a story, backdate it, and then demand the real thing be taken down.

Reputation Agency's Modus Operandi

The fake DMCA notices we found always use the “back-dated article” technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a “true original” article and back-dates it, creating a “fake original” article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original.

Then, based on the claim that this backdated article is the “original,” the scammers send a DMCA to the relevant online service providers (e.g. Google), alleging that the ‘true’ original is the copied or “infringing” article and that the copied article is the “original,” requesting the takedown of the ‘true’ original article. After sending the DMCA request, the person who sent the wrong notice takes down the fake original URL, likely to make sure that the article doesn’t stay online in any way. If the takedown notice is successful, the disappearance from the internet of information is most likely to be legitimate speech.

As an integral part of this scheme, the ‘reputation management’ company hired by Uebert Angel creates a website that purports to be a ‘news’ site. This site is designed to look legitimate at a glance, but any degree of scrutiny reveals it as the charade it is.

The company copies the ‘negative’ content and posts it “on the fake ‘news’ site, attributing it to a separate author,” then gives it “a false publication date on the ‘news’ website that predated the original publication.

The reputation company then sent Google a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice claiming the original website infringed copyright. After a cursory examination of the fake news site, Google frequently accepts the notice and delists the content.

In committing numerous offences, Uebert Angel either premeditated actions or were unaware of the consequences. Despite hiring an agency to make Google disregard any negative information about Uebert Angel, ignorance does not excuse this wrongdoing.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. FSMSmart is certainly keeping interesting company here.

The Reputation Laundering

Rogue Reputation agencies use spurious copyright claims and fake legal notices to remove and obscure articles linking clients to allegations of tax avoidance, corruption, and drug trafficking. Most of these reputation agencies are based offshore, mainly in Russia, India, and Eastern Europe, and they do not worry about complying with US-based laws.

The content in all of the articles for which the fraudulent DMCA notices have been sent relates to allegations of criminal allegations, including corruption, child abuse, sexual harassment, human trafficking and financial fraud against businesses and individuals with ultra-high net worth.

In addition to the misuse of the DMCA takedown process, there is a notable absence of enforcement concerning perjury violations. The statutory requirement related to perjury is designed to deter copyright holders from submitting fraudulent or knowingly false takedown requests, as they may face legal consequences for making false declarations under penalty of perjury. However, to date, there have been no known instances of any individual being prosecuted for perjury in connection with the submission of false DMCA takedown notices.

This lack of enforcement has emboldened copyright holders to exploit the DMCA takedown process to suppress dissent, criticism, or other unfavorable content, without fear of legal repercussions.

Some of the people and businesses who have employed this tactic to remove legitimate content from Google illegally include a Spanish businessman-turned-cocaine-trafficker, Organised crime, an Israeli-Argentine banker accused of laundering money for Hugo Chávez’s regime, a French “responsible” mining company accused of tax evasion, child molesters and sexual predators. Uebert Angel is in great company ….

What else is Uebert Angel hiding?

We encourage you to ‘Dork‘ Google by searching for keyword combinations such as [Uebert Angel] + {Negative Keyword, such as Scam, Fraud, Complaints, Lawsuit, Sanction, etc} on Google. It’s likely if you scroll down to the bottom of this Google search results, you’ll stumble upon this Legal Takedown notice (pictured below)

To make such an investigation possible, we encourage more online service providers to come forward and share copies of content removal requests with industry experts and researchers. If you have any information on Uebert Angel that you want to share with experts and journalists, kindly email the author directly at [email protected].

All communications are strictly confidential and safeguarded under a comprehensive Whistleblower Policy, ensuring full protection and anonymity for individuals who provide information.