Equatorial Guinea official jailed 8 years for embezzlement after sex tape scandal

A top government official in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Ebang Engonga, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzlement.

According to Vanguard, Engonga, who once headed the national financial investigation agency, was accused of diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel expenses for personal use. Five other senior officials were also implicated in the case.

The scandal around him took a dramatic turn last year when several sex tapes featuring him with wives of other officials leaked online. Some of the clips were reportedly filmed in his own office at the finance ministry.

The videos went viral across social media, sparking parodies, memes, songs, and even a joke product called “Balthazariem” — a spoof virility drug named after him.

Despite the viral attention, the Bioko provincial tribunal has now handed him both prison time and a fine of $220,000.