Iraqi Red Crescent Society: a Saudi hospital grant diverted and Children's Hospital losses; Jamal al-Karbouli sentenced and ordered to repay (from 2021 to 2026)
Jamal al-Karbouli, an eye doctor who headed the Iraqi Red Crescent Society after 2003 and later led the al-Hal party, was arrested in Baghdad on 18 April 2021 by the anti-corruption committee chaired by Lieutenant General Ahmed Abu Ragheef and released on 28 November 2021. On 27 July 2025 a judicial source told Shafaq News that the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court had given him a one-year suspended sentence for breach of trust under Article 453 of the Penal Code. On 9 June 2026 the Society said the Karkh Court of First Instance had ordered him to repay USD 4.5 million, after finding that he had taken control of a Saudi grant meant for a hospital project in Baghdad and used it for himself; the order followed his conviction, which the Federal Court of Cassation upheld. On 15 June 2026 the same court ordered him, with Saeed Ismail Haqi and Nadhir Mohammed Jawad Kadhim, to repay more than IQD 1 billion over the Society's Children's Hospital, and awarded the Society USD 250,000; that ruling can be appealed. On 21 September 2026 the Supreme Judicial Council announced the suspended sentence and the USD 4.5 million payment.
- Period
- From April 2021 to September 2026
- Sector
- HealthHumanitarian society hospitals and donor grants
- Kind of case
- Criminal prosecution
- Jurisdiction
- Federal Iraq
How the money moved
Control of a donor grant earmarked for a hospital and its use for personal purposes, and irregular valuations and payments at the Society's Children's Hospital.
What happened
One-year suspended sentence for breach of trust, upheld on cassation; civil orders to repay USD 4.5 million (June 2026) and more than IQD 1 billion plus USD 250,000 (June 2026, open to appeal).
Open questions
- Date and value of the Saudi grant and the hospital it was meant for.
- Whether the money has been repaid.
- The posts held by Saeed Ismail Haqi and Nadhir Mohammed Jawad Kadhim in the Society.
People and companies
| Name | Role in the case | Legal status | Detail | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamal al-Karbouli جمال الكربولي | Former President of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society; head of the al-Hal party; former member of parliament (full name given as Jamal Nasser Dali al-Karbouli) | Convicted (reported) | Arrested on 18 April 2021 by the anti-corruption committee (Committee 29) and released on 28 November 2021. A judicial source said on 27 July 2025 that the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court had given him a one-year suspended sentence for breach of trust (Article 453 of the Penal Code). The Iraqi Red Crescent Society said on 9 June 2026 that the Federal Court of Cassation had upheld the conviction and that the Karkh Court of First Instance had ordered him to repay USD 4.5 million from a Saudi grant meant for a hospital project in Baghdad. On 15 June 2026 the same court ordered him and two others to repay more than IQD 1 billion over the Society's Children's Hospital and to pay USD 250,000 (open to appeal). The Supreme Judicial Council announced the suspended sentence and the USD 4.5 million payment on 21 September 2026. The judgments were not seen. | 19 October 2026 |
| Saeed Ismail Haqi سعيد إسماعيل حقي | Named by the Karkh Court of First Instance as jointly responsible for irregularities at the Iraqi Red Crescent Society's Children's Hospital (post in the Society not stated in the source) | Found liable (civil) | The Karkh Court of First Instance found on 15 June 2026 that he, Jamal al-Karbouli and Nadhir Mohammed Jawad Kadhim bore responsibility for irregularities in the valuation of furniture, employee salaries and assessments of the building of the Society's Children's Hospital, and ordered repayment of more than IQD 1 billion and USD 250,000 in compensation. The ruling is open to appeal before the Federal Court of Cassation (Shafaq News). Not charged with a crime as far as is known as of 19 October 2026. | 19 October 2026 |
| Nadhir Mohammed Jawad Kadhim نذير محمد جواد كاظم | Named by the Karkh Court of First Instance as jointly responsible for irregularities at the Iraqi Red Crescent Society's Children's Hospital (post in the Society not stated in the source) | Found liable (civil) | The Karkh Court of First Instance found on 15 June 2026 that he, Jamal al-Karbouli and Saeed Ismail Haqi bore responsibility for irregularities at the Society's Children's Hospital, and ordered repayment of more than IQD 1 billion and USD 250,000 in compensation. The ruling is open to appeal (Shafaq News). Not charged with a crime as far as is known as of 19 October 2026. | 19 October 2026 |
Sources
- Shafaq News (Iraqi Red Crescent Society statement)9 June 2026Official statement reported by the mediaTier B
Court orders ex-Iraqi MP to repay $4.5M over diverted hospital funds
Original addressA Baghdad court has ordered former Iraqi lawmaker Jamal Nasser Dali Al-Karbouli to repay $4.5 million to the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) after finding that he had taken control of a Saudi grant earmarked for a hospital project
- 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
Original addressأعلن مجلس القضاء الأعلى صدور حكم بحبس رئيس حزب الحل جمال الكربولي سنةً مع وقف التنفيذ، وتغريمه 4.5 ملايين دولار لصالح الهلال الأحمر العراقي.
- Alsumaria News18 April 2021Press reportTier D
لجنة مكافحة الفساد تعتقل رئيس حزب الحل جمال الكربولي
Original addressاعلنت لجنة مكافحة الفساد ، اليوم الاحد، اعتقال رئيس حزب الحل جمال الكربولي في
- Asharq Al-Awsat19 April 2021Press reportTier D
جمال الكربولي أول سياسي عراقي بارز يعتقل بتهمة الفساد
Original addressوعلى الرغم أن جمال الكربولي، وهو طبيب عيون، لم يتسلم موقعا تنفيذيا إلا في بداية التغيير عام 2003 حين تسلم في وقتها رئاسة الهلال الأحمر العراقي،
- Shafaq News28 November 2021Press reportTier D
Anti-Corruption Committee releases Jamal al-Karbouli
Original addressThe Deterring Corruption Committee released the Sunni political figure and former MP of al-Azm alliance, Jamal al-Karbouli, from detention earlier today, Sunday.
- Shafaq News27 July 2025Press reportTier D
Iraqi politician convicted in corruption case, sentence suspended
Original addressIraq’s Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court has handed a one-year suspended prison sentence to Jamal al-Karbouli, a prominent Sunni political figure and head of the al-Hal (Solution) Party, a judicial source told Shafaq News on Sunday.
- Shafaq News15 June 2026Press reportTier D
750K+ penalty hits former Iraq Red Crescent chief
Original addressAl-Karkh Court of First Instance found that al-Karbouli, along with Saeed Ismail Haqi and Nadhir Mohammed Jawad Kadhim, bore responsibility for irregularities involving the calculation of furniture values, employee salaries, and assessments of the hospital building.