Iraq Integrity Commission Seizes Nearly 9 Billion Dinars and Gold From Official’s Home

Iraq Integrity Commission's Media Office

The money seized from Iraqi official's home.

Iraq's Federal Commission of Integrity (FCoI) announced on Sunday that it had seized nearly nine billion Iraqi dinars, seven gold bars and gold jewelry at the home of the undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity for Transport and Distribution.

FCoI said in a statement seen by PUKMEDIA that “a team from the Baghdad Investigation Directorate, following intensive monitoring, inquiries and investigations, managed to find large sums of money and quantities of gold in several houses belonging to the accused, Khalid Ghazai Atiya, Deputy Minister of Electricity for Transport and Distribution, against whom the commission’s personnel had previously carried out an arrest warrant.”

The statement added that “the seized funds amounted to 1,175,000,000 Iraqi dinars and 5,839,000 U.S. dollars, in addition to seven gold bars and gold jewelry.”

It noted that “an official seizure report was prepared for the operation and, along with the seized items, was presented to the competent investigating judge to take the necessary legal measures.”

Iraq launched an aggressive, high-profile anti-corruption campaign dubbed Operation Dawn (Sawlat Al-Fajr) under Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. The sweeping drive has targeted senior government officials, lawmakers, and business figures, resulting in the recovery of over $300 million in hidden cash and hundreds of kilograms of gold.

Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council announced earlier on Sunday that authorities had seized more than $20 million and recovered 60 kilograms of gold as part of an investigation into the case of the detained fomer Undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil for Refining Affairs, Adnan al-Jumaili, and his alleged accomplices.

In a statement, the investigating judge at the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court said that, in coordination with the Kurdistan Region, authorities had seized $20.34 million, 200 million Iraqi dinars, 60 kilograms of gold and seven vehicles linked to the case.

The judge said the investigation and follow-up efforts to recover financial proceeds allegedly obtained through irregularities in projects implemented by the suspects had led to the seizure of the money, gold and vehicles.

He added that investigations were continuing and that authorities would pursue other individuals allegedly involved until the relevant legal proceedings were completed.

With Sunday’s announcement, Iraqi authorities have recovered approximately 295 billion Iraqi dinars, $44.9 million and 484 kilograms of gold in connection with the corruption investigation involving Adnan al-Jumaili. Authorities have also seized commercial properties, flour mills, transport trucks, vehicles and other assets linked to the case.

The latest seizure is part of one of Iraq’s largest corruption investigations in recent years. Al-Jumaili previously served as the Oil Ministry’s undersecretary for refining affairs and as general manager of the North Refineries Company, which oversees the Baiji refinery. He was removed as head of the North Refineries Company in late May and replaced by Qusay Khalaf.

Iraqi security forces arrested al-Jumaili on 30 May near al-Ishaqi in Saladin province, shortly after his removal from the refinery post and days after Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered a broad review of government contracts signed under previous administrations. Around $11 million was reportedly found in his possession at the time of his arrest.

Investigators subsequently reported a series of additional seizures linked to the case. In early July, authorities said they had recovered more than 100 billion Iraqi dinars, tens of millions of dollars, gold, property and dozens of vehicles. Some of the assets were reportedly concealed inside plastic water bottles and the walls of properties linked to al-Jumaili in Tikrit. By July 6, the Supreme Judicial Council said the total value of funds seized in the case had reached $121 million.

On 13 July, the Supreme Judicial Council announced the recovery of 358 kilograms of gold directly linked to the al-Jumaili case, in coordination with the Kurdistan Region and under the supervision of Council Chief Justice Faiq Zaidan. A further 17 kilograms was seized the same day in a related but separate investigation, bringing the total recovered that day to 375 kilograms.

Separately, an investigative court specialising in integrity cases in Nineveh ordered the seizure of nine commercial properties, three flour mills and seven transport trucks in Mosul in connection with the investigation. Further seizures, including around 25 billion Iraqi dinars as well as additional gold and cash, were reported in mid and late July.



PUKMEDIA