As if Zimbabwe’s inflation and dysfunctional government weren’t worrisome enough, the nation’s vice-president has now found herself under investigation for setting up an illegal business deal.

Authorities in Europe claim that Joyce Mujuru, Zimbabwe’s first female vice-president, worked behind the scenes to sell Congolese gold, a deal from which she’s prohibited by international sanctions. The BBC elaborates:

A company with offices in Europe, Firstar, says Mrs. Mujuru’s daughter, Nyasha del Campo, offered to sell more than three-and-a-half tons of gold from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Copies of e-mails seen by the BBC suggest the Zimbabwean vice-president was to pay the transport costs of delivering the gold to a refinery in Zurich.

Mrs. Mujuru was central to the deal, says Felix Eimer of Firstar.

"The contact is from her to the gold mine. Nyasha was just the person that was coordinating the things for third parties," he said.

Neither Nyasha nor Joyce have replied to press inquiries. Firstar, for its part, has reversed the deal.