<p>The United States on Tuesday imposed economic sanctions on the wife of former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh, who was accused of corruption during his 22-year rule and is the target of similar measures.</p>.<p>"Zineb Jammeh is believed to control many of the overseas assets of her husband," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.</p>.<p>He said the sanctions punish "her role in materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing support to her husband. She utilized a charitable foundation and charities as cover to facilitate the illicit transfer of funds to her husband."</p>.<p>The former Gambian first lady's US assets will be blocked, the Treasury said.</p>.<p>Jammeh ruled The Gambia with an iron fist but fled in January 2017 after losing a presidential election to relative unknown Adama Barrow, which he refused to acknowledge before being forced out of power by a popular uprising.</p>.<p>In 2018, Washington blocked Jammeh, his wife and their children from traveling to the United States.</p>.<p>All were placed on the blacklist for those suspected of large-scale corruption or major human rights abuses in The Gambia, a tiny West African country surrounded by Senegal.</p>
<p>The United States on Tuesday imposed economic sanctions on the wife of former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh, who was accused of corruption during his 22-year rule and is the target of similar measures.</p>.<p>"Zineb Jammeh is believed to control many of the overseas assets of her husband," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.</p>.<p>He said the sanctions punish "her role in materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing support to her husband. She utilized a charitable foundation and charities as cover to facilitate the illicit transfer of funds to her husband."</p>.<p>The former Gambian first lady's US assets will be blocked, the Treasury said.</p>.<p>Jammeh ruled The Gambia with an iron fist but fled in January 2017 after losing a presidential election to relative unknown Adama Barrow, which he refused to acknowledge before being forced out of power by a popular uprising.</p>.<p>In 2018, Washington blocked Jammeh, his wife and their children from traveling to the United States.</p>.<p>All were placed on the blacklist for those suspected of large-scale corruption or major human rights abuses in The Gambia, a tiny West African country surrounded by Senegal.</p>