Politics in Equatorial Guinea are a controversial subject. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been president of the African country for 40 years. Obiang is widely considered a dictator. He has been accused of various corrupt acts, abuses of power and even cannibalism.

Obiang's preferred successor is his son with a very similar name, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue. The younger Obiang is often referred to as Teodorin. He has worked in his father's government for several years. Since 2016, he has been first vice president. The position is second only to the president in Equatorial Guinean politics.

But the vice president also seems to be a source of embarrassment.

Millions of dollars worth of property seized and auctioned off

Reuters reports that Swiss authorities have found that Teodorin committed multiple financial crimes. As a result, several pieces of his property were seized by the Swiss government. They include a 250-foot yacht and a vast car collection.

The car collection, amounting to 25 pieces, recently went up for auction. As Quartz indicates, much of the attention has been focused on the auction's top seller. It was a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, made in 2014 and one of only nine ever produced. This particular car also included monogrammed doors. It sold for roughly $8.3 million.

The price nearly doubled the estimate going into the auction.

The next highest sale was a Koenigsegg One:1 produced in 2015. Its hammer price was approximately $4.6 million. Other cars sold include an Aston Martin Lagonda from 1956 with a number of rock 'n' roll connections. Multiple Bentleys and Ferraris and a McLaren were among the other cars to auctioned off.

Many if not all of them appeared to have been hardly driven at all.

In total, the cars formerly belonging to Teodorin went for just shy of $27 million. Proceeds are to be given to charity.

Not the first time Teodorin has gotten in legal trouble

Legal woes and property seizures aren't new regarding Teodorin. And they aren't limited to Switzerland either.

In 2012, a settlement was reached between Teodorin and the US government. The US government had found him guilty of embezzlement and corruption. In part, Teodorin was forced to give up a Ferrari and a house in Malibu, California. He was also supposed to give more than $30 million dollars to charitable causes. But there have been no apparent payments since the agreement was made.

In 2017, Teodorin was found guilty in absentia in France of money laundering and corruption. He was sentenced to suspended prison time and a fine of 30 million euros. More of his properties were also seized. They include 17 cars and a mansion in Paris worth roughly 100 million euros.
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