Cases
Corruption cases in Iraq since 2003
This section holds 98 documented cases. They run from 2003 to 2026. They cover banks and the dollar sale, oil and electricity, customs and ports, defence, local government, religious endowments and the Kurdistan Region.
Each case names the people and institutions involved, with their exact legal status on the date shown: convicted, convicted in their absence, charged, accused, under sanctions, acquitted or pardoned. No one is called a criminal unless a court has convicted them.
Showing 98 of 98
- Ammar Jabr Khalil Abd al-Hamid: former Salah al-Din governor convicted in absentia of illicit enrichment (2026)August 2026Local government and reconstructionCriminal prosecution$1.3 millionTier D1 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Khalid Ghazay Atiya: Ministry of Electricity official arrested with millions in cash and gold (2026)August 2026Electricity and energy infrastructureArrest and ongoing investigation$5.8 millionTier D1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Illicit-enrichment and bribery convictions of MPs and senior officials after the 2026 crackdownFrom July 2026 to September 2026Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure7 named · 6 convicted or reported convicted
- Rafidain Bank Diwaniyah branch banknote-swap embezzlement (2026)July 2026Banking, currency and dollar auctionCriminal enforcement action (arrests)$1.2 millionTier D1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Green Zone anti-corruption raids: 47 officials arrested including 13 MPs and a deputy oil minister (from 28 to 29 June 2026)From June 2026 to September 2026Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure11 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Deputy Oil Minister for Refining Adnan al-Jumaili: arrest and seizure of about $107m in cash, gold and property (2026)From May 2026 to July 2026Oil and gasCriminal prosecution$10 millionTier D4 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Baqubah Municipality land-allocation fraud: in-absentia conviction of Saad Nasr Alwan (2026)January 2026Land and propertyCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure1 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Cancellation of the $764m Baghdad International Airport redevelopment contract over corruption concerns (2026)From October 2025 to June 2026Transport and aviationAdministrative action$764 millionTier D3 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Audio leak attributed to PM adviser Abdel Karim al-Faisal complaining a bribe was "only $1 million" (November 2024)From October 2024 to November 2024Political finance and sanctionsOfficial statement or estimate$1 millionTier D1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Head of the Integrity Commission, Haider Hanoun: leaked recordings, a Maysan land plot and an arrest order (2024)From September 2024 to October 2024Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryJudicial proceedings (investigation stage)No dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Members of parliament and a senior adviser: sentences, warrants and arrests (from 2024 to 2026)From March 2024 to August 2026Parliament and political officeCourt rulings, arrest warrants and arrestsNo dollar figure4 named · 3 convicted or reported convicted
- Basra Governor Asaad al-Eidani: parliamentary probe into land allocation and financial mismanagement (from 2024 to 2025)From February 2024 to November 2025Local government and reconstructionParliamentary inquiryNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Fly Baghdad: OFAC terrorism-finance sanctions (2024) and 2026 delisting of the airlineFrom January 2024 to August 2026Transport and aviationSanctions designationNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- US civil lawsuit against Kurdistan Region leaders (Revend et al. v. Barzani et al., US District Court for the District of Columbia, No. 1:24-cv-00278), since 2024From January 2024 to August 2026Kurdistan RegionCivil lawsuit, not yet decided (allegations)No dollar figure3 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Al-Huda Bank: FinCEN Section 311 finding and OFAC designation of its owner (2024)From January 2024 to July 2024Banking, currency and dollar auctionSection 311 finding and sanctions on the ownerNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Muhammad Hanash Mahmoud Daki: illicit-enrichment conviction, Trebil border-crossing customs (2024)January 2024Tax, customs and portsCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure1 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Al-Taif Islamic Bank placed under Central Bank of Iraq guardianship over undisclosed violations (2026)From July 2023 to September 2026Banking, currency and dollar auctionAdministrative actionNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Kurdistan Region crude trucked to Iran outside official channels during the pipeline shutdown (from 2023 to 2025)From April 2023 to September 2025Kurdistan RegionMedia investigation$200 millionTier DNo one named
- Muhandis General Company: US designation for diverting Iraqi government contract funds to Kata'ib Hizballah (2025)From February 2023 to October 2025Political finance and sanctionsSanctions designationNo dollar figure3 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Card-based dollar arbitrage: Iraqi prepaid and debit cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks (from 2023 to 2025)From January 2023 to June 2025Banking and currencyPress investigation (allegations), with measures by regulators and card networksNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Recovering assets moved abroad: Iraq's record from 2023 to 2026From 2023 to June 2026Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryOfficial statement or estimate$17.4 millionTier CNo one named
- Travellers' dollars: abuse of the official-rate cash allowance for travellers and Central Bank of Iraq counter-measures (from 2023 to 2024)From 2023 to July 2024Banking, currency and dollar auctionOfficial statement or estimateNo dollar figureNo one named
- US-driven dollar restrictions and Central Bank of Iraq bans on Iraqi banks (from 2022 to 2026)From November 2022 to July 2026Banking, currency and dollar auctionSanctions designationNo dollar figure4 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Subsidised fuel oil diverted via asphalt plants and smuggled through Basra (from 2022 to 2024)From November 2022 to July 2024Oil and gasMedia investigationNo dollar figureNo one named
- Shakir Al Zamili: former head of Baghdad's Investment Commission jailed over the Baghdad Star housing project (2022)January 2022Land and propertyCriminal prosecution$6,860Tier D1 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Central Electricity Distribution Company: seven-year illicit-enrichment sentence for a former director general and a three-year sentence for its finance director (2026)From 2022 to September 2026Electricity and energy infrastructureCriminal prosecution$19.4 millionTier D2 named · 2 convicted or reported convicted
- Zubair oilfield pipeline-tapping ring and arrest of oil-protection police generals (Basra, 2022)From 2022 to January 2023Oil and gasCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure3 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Sabah al-Kinani, civil-society head and parliamentary candidate: caught taking $30,000 from a director-general (2021)From October 2021 to May 2025Parliament and political officeArrest in the act, then releaseNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- "Theft of the Century": about IQD 3.8 trillion (about $2.5bn) withdrawn from the General Commission for Taxes trust deposits at Rafidain Bank (from 2021 to 2022)From September 2021 to July 2026Tax, customs and portsCriminal prosecution$2.6 billionTier A8 named · 5 convicted or reported convicted
- COVID-ward fires at Ibn al-Khatib (Baghdad, April 2021) and al-Hussein (Nasiriyah, July 2021) hospitals: negligence and corruptionFrom April 2021 to July 2021HealthOfficial statement or estimateNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Raad al-Haris: former deputy electricity minister and PM adviser convicted of bribery (2022)From November 2020 to January 2022Electricity and energy infrastructureCriminal prosecution$6,850Tier D1 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Committee 29 ("Abu Ragheef committee"): PM Kadhimi's special anti-corruption committee (from 2020 to 2022)From August 2020 to December 2022Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure3 named · 2 convicted or reported convicted
- Bribery and fake-produce racket at Iraqi Grain Board wheat-collection silosFrom June 2020 to July 2026Trade and food securityMedia investigation$1,600Tier D2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Kurdistan Region: 16,500 double-salary earners removed (2020) and UN monitoring of grand-corruption trials (from 2024 to 2025)From 2020 to December 2025Kurdistan RegionOfficial statement or estimateNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Iranian oil passed off as Iraqi: Salim Ahmed Said and Waleed al-Samarra'i networks (US designations, 2025)From 2020 to September 2025Oil and gasSanctions designation$300 millionTier A3 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- US Global Magnitsky corruption designations of Iraqi figures: two ex-governors (July 2019) and Khamis al-Khanjar (December 2019)From July 2019 to July 2021Political finance and sanctionsSanctions designationNo dollar figure3 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- IQD 926bn (about $700m) embezzled at branches of Rasheed Bank and the Agricultural Cooperative Bank (announced June 2022)From 2019 to June 2022Banking, currency and dollar auctionCriminal prosecution$697 millionTier D1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Kirkuk governor Rakan al-Jubouri: warrants, a travel ban, and a 2025 arrest and bail (from 2018 to 2025)From December 2018 to April 2025Local government and reconstructionArrest warrants, travel ban, arrest and bail (investigation stage)No dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Luay al-Khateeb: suspended sentence over an $808m Baghdad power-station contract (2022)From October 2018 to April 2022Electricity and energy infrastructureCriminal prosecution$808.3 millionTier D2 named · 2 convicted or reported convicted
- Al-Bilad Islamic Bank and its owner Aras Habib Kareem: US terrorism-finance designation for moving IRGC-Qods Force funds through Iraq's banking system (2018)May 2018Banking, currency and dollar auctionSanctions designationNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Former Nineveh governor Atheel al-Nujaifi: arrest warrants and sentences in absentia (from 2018 to 2022)From March 2018 to April 2022Local government and reconstructionCourt rulings in absentia and arrest warrantsNo dollar figure1 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Deputy Oil Minister Ali Maarij al-Bahadly: US designation for diverting oil to Iran-linked networks and Iraqi illicit-enrichment conviction (2026)From 2018 to August 2026Oil and gasCriminal prosecution$20.2 millionTier D2 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- PMF "ghost fighters": payroll-inflation allegations and the unsolved killing of the force's finance chiefFrom 2018 to May 2023Public payrollMedia investigationNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Qi Card: Pension Fund and Rafidain Bank money lent through Qi Card, IQD 5.91 trillion to about 847,000 borrowers (from 2017 to 2021)From November 2017 to February 2021BankingOfficial audit findings (administrative), with related convictions reported in the pressNo dollar figure8 named · 3 convicted or reported convicted
- Iraqi Airways: chairman arrested taking a bribe (2017), contract investigations (2024) and IQD 19bn recovered (2026)From August 2017 to June 2026Transport and aviationCriminal prosecution$14.5 millionTier D1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- August 2017: arrest warrants and a conviction topple the governors of Salah al-Din, Basra and AnbarAugust 2017Local government and reconstructionCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure3 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Qi Card / International Smart Card: IQD 231bn of duplicated pension payments for retirees abroad recovered (from 2017 to 2022)From 2017 to August 2022Public payrollCriminal prosecution$158 millionTier D1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Nineveh governor Nawfal al-Akoub: reconstruction and displaced-persons funds (from 2017 to 2019)From 2017 to July 2021Local government and reconstructionCriminal prosecution$64 millionTier D1 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi's 2016 accusations of extortion by the Speaker and MPs, and his dismissalFrom August 2016 to December 2017Defence and securityParliamentary inquiryNo dollar figure3 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Alleged kickback demands in UNDP's Funding Facility for Stabilization reconstruction projects (reported January 2024)From 2015 to January 2024Local government and reconstructionMedia investigation$1.5 billionTier DNo one named
- Ghost employees, double salaries and pension fraud in the public payroll (from 2015 to 2021)From 2015 to 2021Public payrollOfficial statement or estimateNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Former ministers, governors and officials sentenced, from 2024 to 2026 (Integrity Commission statements)From 2014 to August 2026Government and public administrationCourt rulings (mostly in absentia)No dollar figure8 named · 8 convicted or reported convicted
- Iraq v. Turkey ICC arbitration: $1.47bn award over Turkey's unauthorised transit of Kurdistan Region crude through the Ceyhan pipeline (from 2014 to 2018)From 2014 to July 2026Kurdistan RegionCivil case or arbitration$1.5 billionTier DNo one named
- Funds for displaced persons: the Higher Committee for Relief and Sheltering of the Displaced (from 2014 to 2023)From 2014 to September 2023Local government and reconstructionCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Kurdistan Region independent oil sales: revenue opacity, prepayment debts and funds frozen in Lebanon (from 2014 to 2023)From 2014 to March 2023Kurdistan RegionStructural leakage$3.4 billionTier ANo one named
- "Ghost soldiers": 50,000 fictitious names on the army payroll (Abadi, November 2014)From 2014 to November 2014Public payrollOfficial statement or estimateNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Prosecution of Central Bank governor Sinan al-Shabibi and deputy Mudhir Salih over the dollar auction (from 2012 to 2015)From October 2012 to January 2015Banking, currency and dollar auctionCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- The 2012 Russian arms package (about $4.2bn) and alleged commissionsFrom October 2012 to June 2013Defence and securityParliamentary inquiry$4.2 billionTier D1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Elaf Islamic Bank: US CISADA sanctions for facilitating Iranian bank transactions, and 2013 delistingFrom July 2012 to May 2013Banking, currency and dollar auctionSanctions designationNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Parliamentary finance committee (Ahmad Chalabi) dossier: Al-Huda Bank and forged import documents in the dollar auctionFrom 2012 to October 2024Banking, currency and dollar auctionParliamentary inquiry$6.5 billionTier C3 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Electricity Minister Raad Shallal dismissed over $1.7bn contracts with a non-existent Canadian firm and a bankrupt German firm (2011)From July 2011 to September 2011Electricity and energy infrastructureCriminal prosecution$1.7 billionTier D3 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Trade Bank of Iraq: raid, arrest warrant for its president and disputed allegations (2011)June 2011Banking, currency and dollar auctionCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Korek Telecom: ICC arbitration finding fraud and corruption against Korek and Sirwan Barzani, and the regulator's 2026 asset seizureFrom March 2011 to August 2026TelecommunicationsCivil case or arbitration$1.6 billionTier D2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Ericsson's Iraq payments (from 2011 to 2019): internal probe, possible payments to ISIS and Swedish criminal investigationFrom 2011 to April 2022Foreign bribery (Iraq-related)Criminal prosecutionNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Petrofac: failure to prevent bribery to win oil contracts in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and UAE (UK SFO, from 2011 to 2021)From 2011 to October 2021Foreign bribery (Iraq-related)Criminal prosecution$730 millionTier A2 named · 2 convicted or reported convicted
- Leighton Offshore / Iraq Crude Oil Export pipelines: bribes via Unaoil (Australian prosecutions, from 2010 to 2026)From 2010 to January 2026Foreign bribery (Iraq-related)Criminal prosecution$1.5 billionTier A3 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- Warka Bank: depositor run, delisting and Central Bank custodianship (from 2010 to 2013)From 2010 to August 2013Banking, currency and dollar auctionAdministrative actionNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Health procurement: substandard medicines, Kimadia supply failures and stalled hospital projects (from 2008 to 2024)From 2008 to 2024HealthStructural leakageNo dollar figureNo one named
- The "steel-frame schools" (Duwaliya) school-building programme: most of the money spent, most schools unfinished (from 2008 to 2021)From 2008 to September 2021Education and public worksMedia investigation$850 millionTier DNo one named
- TechnipFMC / FMC Technologies: bribery of Iraqi Ministry of Oil officials for metering-technology contracts (from 2008 to 2013; resolved 2019)From 2008 to June 2019Foreign bribery (Iraq-related)Criminal prosecution$296.2 millionTier A3 named · 1 convicted or reported convicted
- ADE 651 fake bomb detectors bought by the Ministry of Interior (from 2007 to 2010)From January 2007 to July 2016Defence and securityCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure3 named · 2 convicted or reported convicted
- Ministry of Trade food-ration (Public Distribution System) scandal and Minister Abdul Falah al-Sudani (from 2006 to 2018)From June 2006 to November 2018Trade and food securityCriminal prosecution$5.3 billionTier D2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Selected convictions of ministers, governors and senior officials (from 2015 to 2022)From 2006 to November 2022Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryCriminal prosecution$25 millionTier D5 named · 5 convicted or reported convicted
- Rolls-Royce: Iraq bribery in its global FCPA/DOJ resolution over South Oil Company gas turbines (from 2006 to 2009; resolved 2017)From 2006 to January 2017Foreign bribery (Iraq-related)Criminal prosecution$1.5 millionTier D2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Parliamentary Integrity Committee finding: 4,600 fictitious ('ghost') projects under the Maliki government (announced January 2015)From 2006 to January 2015Local government and reconstructionParliamentary inquiryNo dollar figure2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Unaoil bribery of South Oil Company and Oil Ministry officials for "Master Plan" contracts (from 2005 to 2011)From June 2005 to 2011Foreign bribery (Iraq-related)Criminal prosecution$17 millionTier A9 named · 3 convicted or reported convicted
- Corruption at Iraq's Sunni Endowment Diwan: bribery, an inflated property purchase and a hotel-acquisition case (from 2010 to 2023)From 2005 to April 2023Religious endowmentsCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure4 named · 2 convicted or reported convicted
- Baiji refinery fuel diversion to the black market (from 2005 to 2007)From 2005 to February 2007Oil and gasOfficial statement or estimate$2 billionTier ANo one named
- The "$6.6bn missing" question: DFI funds at CPA dissolution and DoD's undocumented spending (SIGIR from 2010 to 2012)From June 2004 to January 2012Reconstruction and donor fundsAudit finding$8.7 billionTier A1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Ministry of Defence arms-procurement scandal under the interim government (about $1.3bn, from 2004 to 2005)From June 2004 to May 2005Defence and securityCriminal prosecution$8 millionTier A3 named · 2 convicted or reported convicted
- Legal shields for corruption: Article 136(b) ministerial veto (to 2011) and general amnesty laws (2008, 2016, 2025 amendment)From 2004 to July 2026Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryStructural leakageNo dollar figureNo one named
- Federal Integrity Commission statistics: cases, convictions, ministers charged and funds recovered (from 2004 to 2021, selected years)From 2004 to 2021Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryOfficial statement or estimateNo dollar figureNo one named
- "Brick Tracker": reported $1.2 to 1.6bn of airlifted Iraqi cash hidden in a Lebanese bunker (Risen/NYT, October 2014)From 2004 to October 2014Reconstruction and donor fundsMedia investigation$1.2 billionTier D2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Integrity Commission chief Radhi al-Radhi's resignation and testimony alleging political obstruction (2007)From 2004 to October 2007Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryOfficial statement or estimateNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- CPA South-Central (al-Hillah) bid-rigging, bribery and theft ring (Bloom-Stein case)From December 2003 to December 2005Reconstruction and donor fundsCriminal prosecution$8.6 millionTier A5 named · 4 convicted or reported convicted
- CPA disbursed about $8.8bn of Iraqi DFI funds to ministries without adequate controls (SIGIR 05-004)From October 2003 to June 2004Reconstruction and donor fundsAudit finding$8.8 billionTier A2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Former Electricity Minister Ayham al-Samarrai: conviction, Green Zone escape and Interpol case (from 2005 to 2008)From September 2003 to April 2008Electricity and energy infrastructureCriminal prosecutionNo dollar figure1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- KBR "Restore Iraqi Oil" fuel imports from Kuwait: DCAA-questioned costs and subcontractor kickbacks (from 2003 to 2005)From May 2003 to 2005Reconstruction and donor fundsAudit finding$205.2 millionTier A3 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Airlift of nearly $12bn in cash (Iraqi funds) from the New York Fed to Baghdad, from May 2003 to June 2004From May 2003 to June 2004Reconstruction and donor fundsParliamentary inquiry$12 billionTier A1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Headline estimates of what corruption has cost Iraq since 2003 and Transparency International scoresFrom 2003 to 2026Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryOfficial statement or estimate$150 billionTier CNo one named
- Electricity sector: tens of billions spent since 2003 with chronic shortagesFrom 2003 to 2025Electricity and energy infrastructureStructural leakage$27 billionTier CNo one named
- Seizure of state land and property by influential persons and the Integrity Commission's recovery drive (from 2003 to 2023)From 2003 to July 2023Land and propertyOfficial statement or estimateNo dollar figureNo one named
- President Barham Salih's "$150bn smuggled" statement and draft Law on Recovering the Proceeds of Corruption (2021)From 2003 to May 2021Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryOfficial statement or estimate$150 billionTier C1 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Customs and border crossings: capture of customs revenue by officials, parties and armed groups (from 2003 to 2021)From 2003 to 2021Tax, customs and portsOfficial statement or estimate$7 billionTier C2 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Innospec (Octel): bribes to Iraqi Ministry of Oil officials to keep buying tetraethyl lead (from 2004 to 2008)From 2003 to 2014Foreign bribery (Iraq-related)Criminal prosecutionNo dollar figure4 named · 3 convicted or reported convicted
- US reconstruction programme in Iraq: official waste or fraud estimates and prosecution totals (SIGIR 2013; Commission on Wartime Contracting 2011)From 2003 to 2013Reconstruction and donor fundsOfficial statement or estimate$60 billionTier ANo one named
- Custer Battles LLC: False Claims Act liability over CPA currency-exchange contract (from 2003 to 2011)From 2003 to September 2011Reconstruction and donor fundsCivil case or arbitration$3 millionTier A4 named · 0 convicted or reported convicted
- Unaccounted oil production and the absence of metering (from 2003 to 2007): 100,000 to 300,000 barrels/day unexplainedFrom 2003 to 2007Oil and gasAudit finding$1.8 billionTier ANo one named