Skip to content
IRAQ'S CORRUPTION
العربية
Cases

Committee 29 ("Abu Ragheef committee"): PM Kadhimi's special anti-corruption committee (from 2020 to 2022)

In August 2020 PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi created, by Diwani Order No. 29, a permanent committee led by Lt. Gen. Ahmed Abu Ragheef to investigate major corruption and crimes. It arrested prominent figures, including Bahaa Abdul Hussein, founder of the Qi Card salary-card company (September 2020, reportedly while trying to leave), and Jamal al-Karbouli, head of the al-Hal party (April 2021); an anti-corruption specialist quoted by Daraj said both received sentences of 4 to 6 years. In early March 2022 the Federal Supreme Court ruled the order unconstitutional (violating personal freedom, separation of powers and judicial independence), ending the committee. Detainees alleged torture and extortion (reported by the Washington Post, December 2022); Kadhimi defended the committee in a December 2022 statement.

Period
From August 2020 to December 2022
Sector
Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryExtra-judicial investigative committee
Kind of case
Criminal prosecution
Jurisdiction
Federal Iraq

How the money moved

Use of an executive committee with security-service powers to arrest and interrogate senior suspects outside the regular Integrity or judicial track; findings then referred to courts.

What happened

Committee dissolved by the Federal Supreme Court (2022); several detainees convicted (reported); torture allegations unresolved.

Open questions

  • Court verdicts for Qi Card and Karbouli cases; later appeals or amnesty.
  • Federal Supreme Court decision text and date (early March 2022).
  • Allegation that up to 70,000 ghost PMF fighters were paid via Qi Card (Musings on Iraq).

People and companies

The table lists everyone this case names, with their legal status on the date shown. A status in this case does not carry over to any other case, and an accusation is not a conviction. How to read the status.
People and companies
NameRole in the caseLegal statusDetailAs of
Bahaa Abdul Hussein
بهاء عبد الحسين
Founder and head of Qi Card (International Smart Card)Convicted (reported)Arrested in September 2020 at Baghdad airport. On 24 January 2021 a judicial source told the Iraqi News Agency that the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court had sentenced him to 4 years under Penal Code art. 310 and fined him IQD 10m for giving bribes to the former head of the National Retirement Authority. On 8 July 2021 Alsumaria reported a second sentence of 3 years' rigorous imprisonment, with two others, for embezzlement at the company (art. 316). A December 2022 retrial reportedly cut the bribery sentence to 1 year 9 months, and a later release was reported. The WSJ (31 May 2025) calls him 'Bahaa Abdul Hadi', a shorter form of his full name.30 September 2026
Jamal al-Karbouli
جمال الكربولي
Head of al-Hal party; owner of Dijla TVConvicted (reported)Arrested 18 April 2021 by the anti-corruption committee. The Supreme Judicial Council announced on 21 September 2026 a one-year suspended prison sentence and an order to pay $4.5m to the Iraqi Red Crescent (964media). An earlier report of a four-to-six-year sentence (Daraj, March 2022) was never confirmed.30 September 2026
Ahmed Taha Abu Ragheef
أحمد طه أبو رغيف
Lt. Gen., committee chairNot charged as of the date of writingChair of the committee.25 September 2026

Sources

These are the documents on which this case rests. Each quote is given in the language of the document.
  1. 964media (Supreme Judicial Council announcement)21 September 2026Official statement reported by the mediaTier B

    القضاء يحكم على جمال الكربولي بالحبس سنة وتغريمه 4.5 ملايين دولار

    أعلن مجلس القضاء الأعلى صدور حكم بحبس رئيس حزب الحل جمال الكربولي سنةً مع وقف التنفيذ، وتغريمه 4.5 ملايين دولار لصالح الهلال الأحمر العراقي
    Original
  2. Kitabat (Iraqi News Agency, judicial source)24 January 2021Official news agency (judicial source)Tier C

    محكمة مكافحة الفساد في العراق تصدر أحكاما بالسجن والغرامة في قضية (كي كارد)

    صدر حكم محكمة جنايات مكافحة الفساد المركزية بالسجن لمدة أربع سنوات بحق المتهم (بهاء عبد الحسين عبد الهادي) مدير شركة كي كارد وفق احكام المادة 310 من قانون العقوبات
    Original
  3. Amwaj.media (media monitor)25 January 2021Press reportTier C

    الحكم بالسجن بتهم الفساد لمدير سابق لشركة بطاقات دفع

    أفادت وكالة الأنباء العراقية الرسمية (واع) في 24 يناير/كانون الثاني أن محكمة مكافحة الفساد العراقية أصدرت حكمًا بالسجن لمدة أربع سنوات
    Original
  4. Alsumaria (via Nabd)8 July 2021Press reportTier C

    متورطون بالفساد.. الحكم بالحبس الشديد لثلاثة اشخاص في شركة "كي كارد"

    قررت محكمة جنايات الكرخ لمكافحة الفساد الحكم على ثلاثة موظفين بالحبس الشديد لمدة ثلاث سنوات
    Original
  5. ElaphDecember 2022Press reportTier C

    بغداد: تخفيف مفاجئ لحكم السجن على مدانين كبيرين بالفساد

    Original
  6. Musings on Iraq (blog, Joel Wing)27 January 2021Press reportTier D

    Qi Card Allegedly Involved In Ghost Hashd Fighter Scheme

    Up to 70,000 ghost Hashd fighters were reportedly registered with the Qi Cards
    Original
  7. Daraj (Salah Hassan Baban)26 April 2021Press reportTier D

    العراق: سياسيون يغادرون العراق بعد اعتقال الكربولي!

    في 18 نيسان/ أبريل الماضي
    Original
  8. Daraj10 March 2022Press reportTier D

    المحكمة الاتحادية "تعدم" لجنة أبو رغيف

    قررت راهناً عدم صحة الأمر الديواني المرقم 29 لسنة 2020
    Original
  9. Al-Aalem Al-Jadeed28 December 2022Press reportTier D

    الكاظمي يكسر صمته ببيان حول لجنة "أبو رغيف" وسعر الدولار و"سرقة القرن"

    دارت مؤخـرأ أحاديـث عـن انتهاكات حصلت في فترة خـدمـتـي
    Original

Related cases