Major Anti-Corruption Operation in Iraq
Iraqi law enforcement launched a significant anti-corruption operation on Sunday, conducting raids in an upscale neighborhood of Baghdad and arresting multiple prominent figures.
A key arrest was Ali Malij al-Bahadry, the Deputy Minister of Petroleum Distribution, who astonishingly had $14 million in cash hidden in the walls of his residence.
Investigators managed to break into the wall of al-Bahadry’s pool house, uncovering a suitcase packed with luxury items, including American dollars, Iraqi dinars, and even a Rolex watch. This discovery happened during what was termed an “initial investigation” of the deputy oil minister.
Mr. Bahadry, responsible for the sales and distribution of refined fuel products nationwide, had significant interactions with traders, distributors, and many local officials. It’s a delicate role, yet it was notably surprising that he didn’t seem to directly engage in the excesses typically associated with such authority.
That dubious honor appeared to belong to another deputy oil minister, Adnan al-Jumaili, who was apprehended a month earlier with around $86 million in cash. Beyond the money, law enforcement officials reported seizing 70 properties, 21 vehicles, and 6.6 pounds of gold jewelry throughout this operation.
This crackdown stemmed from orders given by Iraq’s new Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, shortly after he assumed office back in May. There has been widespread anger among Iraqis towards corruption and the previous government’s inaction against well-connected officials.
The U.S. government had also been pressing the new prime minister to address these issues, with particular interest in Bahadry. In May, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions against him for allegedly abusing his position to divert oil for the benefit of the Iranian regime and its affiliated militias.
“Like a rogue gang, the Iranian regime is plundering resources that rightfully belong to the Iraqi people,” stated Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during the announcement of the sanctions, stressing that the U.S. would not observe while Iraq’s oil is exploited to fund terrorism.
Other officials caught in the anti-corruption sweep included Raed al-Juboori, Iraq’s current health director and former governor, as well as Alaa Samir al-Juboori, a senior official in the Ministry of Electricity.
Alongside the arrests, on June 14, Prime Minister al-Zaidi canceled a significant $764 million project for the Baghdad airport due to corruption worries.
Still, despite the initial progress, some analysts voiced concerns that al-Zaidi’s long-awaited anti-corruption drive might lose momentum. It’s not uncommon for attempts to tackle rampant corruption to stall in Iraq, as political coalitions can be quite fragile, often leading to severe consequences if factions feel marginalized. The coalition factions are heavily armed, adding to the tension.
“I fear this movement will be halted as soon as it starts incurring significant political, security, or organizational costs. However, there are signs that further arrests could still be forthcoming,” remarked Haris Hasan from the Arab Center for Studies and Policy Research.
Ghalib al-Dami, a media studies professor, pointed out the complexity of fighting corruption in Iraq, linking it to the very nature of the political system. He noted that many perpetrators might genuinely believe they’re not doing anything wrong due to a belief in a religious doctrine that public funds do not belong to anyone.
Moussa Faraj, former head of Iraq’s Federal Integrity Commission, expressed cautious optimism regarding the prime minister’s efforts, though he emphasized that the $14 million discovered was just a tiny portion of the total amounts potentially hidden away. He advised focusing first on critical issues, particularly the central bank’s currency auctions from the past years, which he suspected involved corruption amounting to tens of billions of dollars.
