Israeli businessman saves three Americans from execution in Congo

In a dramatic and high-stakes rescue mission that reads like a plot from a spy thriller, Israeli-American businessman Motty Kahana orchestrated the release of three Americans, including a Jewish American, who were facing execution in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The three—Marcel Malanga (21), Tyler Thompson Jr. (21), and Benjamin Reuven Zalman-Polun (36)—had been arrested for their involvement in a failed coup attempt against the government of President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi in 2024. They were sentenced to death but were freed and returned to the U.S. this week after a tense and dangerous negotiation led by Kahana. The release followed a highly secretive operation that culminated in an emotional landing at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, D.C.

Kahana, known for his previous humanitarian rescue operations in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Syria, was tasked with securing the release of these three Americans. In March 2025, he traveled to Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, alongside two colleagues with past experience in the U.S. State Department and CIA special units. Their mission was to negotiate the release of the three Americans, who had been sentenced to death by a military court after participating in the failed coup. Kahana described the trip as “three of the scariest days of my life,” as he suspected that the Congolese officials were setting a trap.

Upon arrival, Kahana and his team were initially met with a seemingly warm reception, including a motorcade and dinner with Congo’s National Security Advisor. However, things quickly took a turn when they were asked for a written confirmation to proceed with a meeting with President Tshisekedi. Their attempt to present an email from the U.S. State Department as authorization was rejected, raising suspicions of foul play. The following day, Kahana and his colleagues were taken to a military base under the pretext of a meeting, where they were invited to shoot at a training facility. Kahana and one colleague declined, but the third businessman agreed. As the situation grew tense, the Congolese officials repeatedly demanded their passports, which Kahana and his team refused to hand over.

Realizing the danger they were in, Kahana contacted the U.S. embassy in Kinshasa, which advised them to leave immediately, as the Congolese were likely seeking a reason to arrest them. With the embassy’s support, Kahana and his colleagues made a swift escape, boarding an Air France flight out of the country. As they taxied down the runway, Congolese military vehicles attempted to block their plane, but the operation was a success, and the team safely made it out of Congo.

Despite Kahana’s initial inability to meet with President Tshisekedi, his mission was ultimately successful. After the escape, a colleague of Kahana’s visited Kinshasa and delivered the message Kahana had been prepared to convey, urging the Congolese president to release the Americans in exchange for improved relations with the U.S. A week later, the three Americans were notified that their death sentences had been commuted to life imprisonment, and they would be transferred to serve their sentences in an American prison.

Marcel Malanga, one of the three rescued Americans, is the son of Christian Malanga, a Congolese opposition leader involved in the coup attempt. Malanga’s father was killed during the attack on the presidential palace, and Marcel claimed that he had been forced by his father to participate in the failed plot. Tyler Thompson, a 21-year-old from Utah, reportedly traveled to the DRC under the impression that he was going on a vacation. Benjamin Reuven Zalman-Polun, 36, a Jewish American, had ties to the coup leaders through a gold mining company.

Kahana’s mission not only resulted in the release of the three hostages but also set the stage for potential talks between the U.S. and the DRC, with the promise of improved relations. Discussions regarding mineral deals and security assistance are reportedly on the table, with the U.S. offering support to help combat rebel forces in the region. The DRC, still dealing with the aftermath of the failed coup, is eager to stabilize its government and prevent further unrest. The agreement to commute the death sentences came shortly after productive talks between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and U.S. senior adviser for Africa, Massad Boulos.