LUANDA – Jose Filomeno dos Santos, former head of the Sovereign Fund of Angola, was detained Monday on charges of money laundry, embezzlement, fraud and criminal association.

According to a press release from the Attorney General’s Office, the detention of the son of former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos is "based on the complexity and seriousness of the facts and on the effectiveness of the investigation” carried out around the case.

The case centered around an alleged irregular transfer in September last year of 500 million U.S. dollars from Angolan central bank to a British bank.

At the time the London authorities suspected the transfer and therefore blocked the funds.

The case also involves Valter Filipe, former governor of the central bank. He was formally accused of fraud over the alleged illegal transfer in March.

The operation was launched weeks before former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos left power.

Jose Filomeno dos Santos, also former CEO of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, was dismissed from the position in January by President Joao Lourenco.

Lourenco launched an anti-corruption campaign after taking over the presidency in September 2017.

Previous high-profile arrests under the campaign also includes former Transport Minister Augusto da Silva Tomas.

Xinhua