Atchley v. AstraZeneca: US lawsuit alleging bribes and "free goods" for Health Ministry and Kimadia officials linked to Jaysh al-Mahdi (from 2004 to 2026)
In October 2017 Americans injured in Iraq, and relatives of Americans killed there, sued five groups of drug and medical equipment companies (AstraZeneca, GE Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Roche) in a federal court in Washington under the US Anti-Terrorism Act. The plaintiffs allege that from 2004 to 2013 the companies won contracts from Kimadia, the Health Ministry's state importer, by paying cash "commissions" of about 20 percent of the contract price and by giving extra "free goods" to ministry officials loyal to Jaysh al-Mahdi, who sold them to fund attacks. The district court dismissed the suit on 17 July 2020. The Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reversed in January 2022. The Supreme Court set that ruling aside on 24 June 2024 for review in light of Twitter v. Taamneh. On 23 January 2026 the Court of Appeals again reversed the dismissal, and in August 2026 the companies asked the Supreme Court to hear the case (No. 26-245). The courts have ruled only that the claims may go forward; no facts are on record. AstraZeneca has said it does not accept bribes.
- Period
- From 2004 to October 2026
- Sector
- HealthKimadia procurement from foreign suppliers (US civil litigation)
- Kind of case
- Civil case or arbitration
- Jurisdiction
- United States (federal courts); Federal Iraq
How the money moved
Alleged cash commissions of about 20 percent of contract value and off-the-books "free goods" given to Health Ministry and Kimadia officials, which the plaintiffs say were resold on the black market to fund an armed group.
What happened
Claims allowed to proceed (D.C. Circuit, 23 January 2026; rehearing denied 23 April 2026). The companies' petition No. 26-245 was pending before the Supreme Court as of 19 October 2026. No trial and no finding of fact.
Open questions
- Supreme Court decision on petition No. 26-245.
- Outcome of the US Justice Department request about an Iraq corruption inquiry that AstraZeneca disclosed in 2018.
- Whether any Iraqi body examined Kimadia's contracts with these companies for 2004 to 2013.
People and companies
| Name | Role in the case | Legal status | Detail | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca أسترازينيكا | Defendant in the US civil suit Atchley v. AstraZeneca through AstraZeneca UK Limited and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP (pharmaceutical supplier to Kimadia) | Accused in credible reporting | Defendant in a US civil suit under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The plaintiffs allege that the company paid commissions and gave free goods to Health Ministry and Kimadia officials linked to Jaysh al-Mahdi, and that it signed at least five ministry contracts from 2006 to 2008. AstraZeneca said in 2018 that it does not accept bribes or other corruption, and disclosed a US Justice Department request about an Iraq corruption inquiry. The courts have ruled only that the claims may go forward; no fact is on record. The companies' petition No. 26-245 was pending before the Supreme Court as of 19 October 2026. | 19 October 2026 |
| GE Healthcare جي إي للرعاية الصحية (جنرال إلكتريك) | Defendant in the US civil suit Atchley v. AstraZeneca through GE Healthcare USA Holding LLC and GE Medical Systems Information Technologies, Inc. and GmbH (medical equipment supplier to Kimadia) | Accused in credible reporting | Defendant in a US civil suit under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The plaintiffs allege that the group's companies paid commissions and gave free goods to Health Ministry and Kimadia officials linked to Jaysh al-Mahdi from 2004 to 2013. The courts have ruled only that the claims may go forward; no fact is on record. The companies' petition No. 26-245 was pending before the Supreme Court as of 19 October 2026. | 19 October 2026 |
| Johnson & Johnson جونسون آند جونسون | Defendant in the US civil suit Atchley v. AstraZeneca as parent company and through Johnson & Johnson (Middle East) Inc., Cilag GmbH International, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Ethicon, Inc., Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLC, Janssen Ortho LLC and Ortho Biologics LLC (pharmaceutical and medical device supplier to Kimadia) | Accused in credible reporting | Defendant in a US civil suit under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The plaintiffs allege that the group's companies paid commissions and gave free goods to Health Ministry and Kimadia officials linked to Jaysh al-Mahdi, and that the parent company oversaw the scheme. The courts have ruled only that the claims may go forward; no fact is on record. The companies' petition No. 26-245 was pending before the Supreme Court as of 19 October 2026. | 19 October 2026 |
| Pfizer فايزر | Defendant in the US civil suit Atchley v. AstraZeneca through Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. (pharmaceutical supplier to Kimadia) | Accused in credible reporting | Defendant in a US civil suit under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The plaintiffs allege that the group's companies paid commissions and gave free goods to Health Ministry and Kimadia officials linked to Jaysh al-Mahdi, including one off-the-books shipment of the haemophilia drug BeneFix worth USD 3.7 million in 2006. The courts have ruled only that the claims may go forward; no fact is on record. The companies' petition No. 26-245 was pending before the Supreme Court as of 19 October 2026. | 19 October 2026 |
| Roche روش | Defendant in the US civil suit Atchley v. AstraZeneca through F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. and Genentech, Inc. (pharmaceutical supplier to Kimadia) | Accused in credible reporting | Defendant in a US civil suit under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The plaintiffs allege that the group's companies paid commissions and gave free goods to Health Ministry and Kimadia officials linked to Jaysh al-Mahdi from 2004 to 2013. The courts have ruled only that the claims may go forward; no fact is on record. The companies' petition No. 26-245 was pending before the Supreme Court as of 19 October 2026. | 19 October 2026 |
Sources
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit4 January 2022Court opinionTier A
Atchley v. AstraZeneca UK Ltd., No. 20-7077, opinion of 4 January 2022
DocumentOriginal addressSHA-256 50bdcace34f0There are therefore twenty-one defendants from five corporate families, AstraZeneca, GE Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Roche.
- Supreme Court of the United States24 June 2024Court docketTier A
Docket No. 23-9, AstraZeneca UK Limited, et al. v. Joshua Atchley, et al.
Document (saved page)Original addressSHA-256 5b7c14b4cc77Petition GRANTED. Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED for further consideration in light of Twitter, Inc. v. Taamneh
- United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit23 January 2026Court opinionTier A
Atchley v. AstraZeneca UK Ltd., No. 20-7077, opinion on remand of 23 January 2026
DocumentOriginal addressSHA-256 11c3b4d3b328First, defendants paid cash bribes (called “commissions”) to Jaysh al-Mahdi in order to obtain lucrative Kimadia contracts. These “commissions” were typically 20 per cent of any contract price.
- Supreme Court of the United States26 August 2026Court docketTier A
Docket No. 26-245, AstraZeneca UK Limited, et al. v. Joshua Atchley, et al.
Document (saved page)Original addressSHA-256 32f86d96c7bdDecision Date: January 23, 2026 Rehearing Denied: April 23, 2026
- Arabi21 (AFP)2 August 2018Press reportTier D
أمريكا تحقق بشبهات فساد للعديد من شركات الأدوية بالعراق
Original addressوقالت "أسترازينيكا" في بيان إن لديها "برنامجا متينًا وحيويا لتنفيذ القانون" وإنها "لا تقبل رشاوى أو سواها من أشكال الفساد".