Utah man declined $100K offer to travel to Congo on ‘security job’ that was covert coup attempt

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The friend of a prominent Congolese opposition leader’s son said he turned down a six-figure offer to travel there as part of the family’s security detail in what turned out to be a failed coup attempt. Opposition leader Christian Malanga was killed in a shootout while resisting arrest after attacking the presidential palace in Kinshasa. His son, Marcel, unsuccessfully tried to recruit many of his former high school football teammates to come along before 21-year-old Tyler Thompson agreed. Thompson and Marcel Malanga have reportedly been arrested. Their friend Daniel Gonzalez says Marcel had offered him up to $100,000 to work a security job on the trip.