Bereket Worku, widely known as “Bereket Geberewa” (“Bereket the Farmer”), had lived in Ireland for several years before returning to Ethiopia with her Irish husband and their two daughters. Back home, she immersed herself in commercial farming, frequently using social media to document her agricultural activities while cultivating the image of a successful “gebere” farmer.

Over more than a decade, she built a sizeable agricultural business, cultivating fruits and vegetables in the Wolayta area and operating two additional farms, spanning 2840 hectares, in Meki and Yeju. Her farming ventures became central to the public profile that made her widely known.

As her visibility grew, government supporters increasingly portrayed her as a model entrepreneur and farmer — an embodiment of the prosperity and commercial agriculture championed by the administration. State-affiliated figures and her supporters often pointed to her farming projects and philanthropy as evidence of the economic opportunities promoted under the government’s agenda.

It is reported that she has contributed to several education and welfare initiatives across different regions. In Bishan Guracha, she financed the construction of a school at a reported cost of six million birr. She also provided educational materials to Handodeh School in Ziway Dugda Woreda, benefiting approximately 684 students. Furthermore, she is said to have established a feeding centre in Addis Ababa with the capacity to serve up to 1,000 people per day, offering meals throughout the year.

Bereket also made little effort to hide her closeness to the country’s political leadership. She frequently shared photographs of herself alongside senior Ethiopian officials, including Abiy Ahmed, Shimeles Abdissa, and Redwan Hussien. Widely displayed across her social media accounts, the images highlighted her access to influential figures within the ruling establishment.

Her admiration for the prime minister was also explicit in her public commentary. In one social media post, she wrote: “What worries me always is this: if our prime minister one day says, ‘I’ve had enough. I’d like to go back and take care of my children,’ and decides to return to private life, what will happen to us? Who would replace him? Who would be left to manage our deeply troubled politics?”

Two years earlier, Bereket had purchased a copy of Abiy Ahmed’s book, Generation Medemer, for 50,000 euros at a high-profile fundraising event.

That display of loyalty appeared to bring rewards. Bereket was granted a gold exploration concession in Itang woreda, Gambella region. She further stated that she had obtained government authorization to import fuel for use by her company. It is also reported that Siinqee Bank provided her with a loan of 50 million birr to purchase bulldozers and tractors.

In February 2025, Bereket Worku was elected president of the Ethiopian Women’s Trade Association, a position that further raised her public profile and deepened her connections within influential political and business circles.

However, in a sudden turn of events in December 2025, she was arrested, although the exact reason for her arrest has not been officially disclosed. Some pro-government activists have alleged possible involvement in money laundering and human trafficking, but these claims have not been independently verified or formally confirmed.

In a report, Meseret Media noted that a key issue is that a company sold shares to thousands of individuals without complying with the required regulations. Approximately 45 individuals reportedly claimed that she disappeared after collecting their money. The complaints further allege that she used photographs with government officials to portray herself as being closely connected to them.

Two months later, she was released. After the judge’s order was issued, the police reportedly refused to comply, and it was only on the seventh attempt that it was eventually carried out. At the time, her telephone was seized by the police, and she alleged that it was used by officers to contact people living abroad and request money on her behalf.

But this week, the federal police published a wanted notice for her, displaying her photograph alongside three other suspects allegedly involved in gold exploration activities and an illicit fuel-smuggling network. Authorities also called on the public to provide information about their whereabouts. Bereket was accused of depriving the state of 8 million birr. However, during a TikTok Live broadcast the following day, she insisted that she remained in the country, saying she did not understand why the police were looking for her while she was at home. Instead, she claimed that she was the victim, alleging that the fuel she had legally imported worth 15 million birr had been seized by the state under accusations of hoarding. She said the seizure took place while she was in prison and unable to protest the decision.

In a recent interview, Bereket said she is innocent, but acknowledged that she made a mistake by moving into the gold business, adding that she should have stuck to her agricultural ventures.

It is difficult to verify the allegations against Bereket or identify those behind the opposition and their motivations. It remains unclear whether this reflects a fallout with figures in authority or broader targeting of a successful woman. However, some activists have been campaigning against her, most notably Awenta Bersisa, whom she has accused of threatening her in an attempt to extort money.

As the case continues, the story will be followed closely. If Bereket is the victim of false accusations, it could have a discouraging effect on Ethiopians living abroad who are considering returning home to invest in their country.