A huge financial corruption scandal rocks Iraq

A huge financial corruption scandal rocked Iraq yesterday, after announcing the disappearance of 3.7 trillion dinars (about 2.5 billion dollars) from tax and customs funds, in what is considered one of the largest financial crimes in the country.

The Iraqi authorities hastened to open an investigation into the “theft”, which many believe has shed new light on the rampant corruption in Iraq, without revealing the identity of those involved.

The official letter issued by the Tax Authority and leaked to the media clarified that the amount of $2.5 billion was withdrawn between September 9, 2021 and August 11, 2022. These financial instruments were issued to five companies, which paid them in cash directly.

The scandal erupted after Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar revealed the “huge robbery,” and submitted a request to the Prime Minister to relieve him of his position as the acting Ministry of Finance, saying that he did not “subject to pressure and bargains to prevent him from performing his role in protecting public money.”

Official and popular circles followed with great interest the details of the “unprecedented” financial scandal that may cast a shadow over the efforts to form the new government.

Sources indicated that the Prime Minister-designate, Muhammad Al-Sudani, is already facing a difficult task, which is the difference in priorities between the political blocs that nominated him for this position. The sources added that he is studying all the different options, “and has his eye on the street and on the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr,” especially after the uproar caused by the scandal of the disappearance of the huge amount of public money, and also after al-Sadr confirmed his acquittal from the prospective government.