Key facts
- Alina Habba, a lawyer for Donald Trump, is marrying Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon.
- Mildon's company Milvest has secured approximately $1 billion in construction contracts in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2021.
- Milvest's projects in Congo have faced allegations of fund mismanagement and improper import exemptions.
- Mildon's company Vancement has an agreement with the Venezuelan government to revive cement factories.
- Vancement has faced disputed claims of failing to pay contractors in Venezuela.
- Habba has indicated she would accept a role as White House press secretary if offered.
Alina Habba, a prominent lawyer who served as a counsellor to President Donald Trump, is preparing to marry Turkish businessman Turhan Mildon later this week. Mildon, 29, is the CEO of Miller Holding and a third-generation member of his family's business. While Habba is well-known in the US, Mildon has largely maintained a private profile.
Mildon's business activities have garnered attention for significant projects secured in the Democratic Republic of Congo and expansion into Venezuela. Since 2021, his company Milvest has obtained construction contracts worth approximately $1 billion in Congo, including involvement in mining operations that have reportedly brought hundreds of millions of dollars in direct investment. Mildon stated that he took certain investment risks in Congo when the climate was challenging.
However, some of Milvest's projects, such as the Kinshasa Financial Centre and the Arena sports complex, have faced scrutiny. Local reports alleged mismanagement of funds by former Congolese Finance Minister Nicolas Kazadi. Mildon denied any wrongdoing and stated that the financial centre was completed in December 2023. His company was also accused of improperly obtaining import exemptions for materials for the Arena, a dispute Mildon said caused significant losses. Kazadi has denied wrongdoing and stated the projects' combined cost was reasonable.
Mildon's business also extends to Venezuela, where his company Vancement has a profit-sharing agreement with the government to revive state-owned cement factories. He stated this arrangement allows him to operate without facing US sanctions. However, claims have circulated that Vancement has failed to pay some contractors, which Mildon denies, attributing such disputes to local business practices.
More recently, Venezuelan National Assembly president Jorge Rodriguez summoned representatives of Turkish-linked cement companies to explain high retail prices. Mildon explained that resale markups were driving up prices and that the government sets producer prices. Habba, meanwhile, has indicated she would accept a role as White House press secretary if offered by Trump.