Iraq's Corruption
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Headline estimates of what corruption has cost Iraq since 2003 and Transparency International scores

Senior figures have given incompatible totals: President Barham Salih (May 2021) said about $150bn of stolen money had been smuggled out since 2003; former PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi (March 2023) said corruption "devoured 600 billion dollars" between 2003 and mid-2020; Al Jazeera (July 2020) wrote that Iraq lost about $450bn to theft and embezzlement over 17 years; MP Rahim al-Daraji (integrity committee) spoke of over 5,000 phantom contracts and some $228bn wasted on paper-only projects. None has a published methodology. They cannot be added together or to the documented amounts. Transparency International's CPI rated Iraq 16/100 in 2013 rising to 28/100 in 2025 (rank 136 of 182).

Period
From 2003 to 2026
Sector
Anti-corruption system and asset recoveryAggregate estimates
Kind of case
Official statement or estimate
Jurisdiction
Federal Iraq

How the money moved, according to the sources

This account is the one given by the sources listed on this page. It is not the finding of a court.

Aggregate framing of leakage across oil revenue, contracts, payroll and smuggling.

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.

This case does not name any person or company. It rests on figures and institutions.

Sources

These are the documents on which this case rests. Each quote is given in the language of the document.
  1. English Wikipedia (citing Transparency International)25 September 2026Report by a non-governmental organisation or research centreTier C

    Corruption in Iraq

    Its 2025 score of 28 ranked it 136th of 182 countries.
    Original
  2. Al Jazeera Net11 July 2020Press reportTier D

    الكاظمي يتوعد الفاسدين في الجمارك لدى إعادة فتح معبر حدودي

    ولكن ما يتم تحصيله هو أقل من مليار دولار حاليا
    وقد خسر العراق بسبب عمليات السرقة والاختلاس ما يقارب 450 مليار دولار
    Original
  3. CNN (Mohammed Tawfeeq)23 May 2021Press reportTier D

    Iraq estimates that $150 billion of its oil money has been stolen from the country since the US-led invasion of 2003

    Salih said in a televised speech
    Original
  4. The New Arab13 March 2023Press reportTier D

    Former Iraq PM Al-Kadhimi says corruption cost country $600 billion

    between 2003 and mid-2020, corruption devoured 600 billion dollars of Iraqi money
    OriginalArchived copy
  5. Arabic Wikipedia25 September 2026Press reportTier D

    الفساد في العراق

    هناك أكثر من خمسة آلاف عقد وهمي
    Original

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