Iraq Orders Seizure of Assets Belonging to 12 MPs and Former PM Adviser

CBI's Media

CBI building.

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) announced on Saturday that a court has ordered the seizure of the movable and immovable assets of 12 members of parliament and an adviser to the former Iraqi prime minister in connection with corruption investigations.

In a letter sent to state-owned and private banks and reviewed by PUKMEDIA, the bank said the Karkh Investigation Court, which handles integrity cases, issued the order on 27 August 2026.

The order requires banks to freeze the accounts, funds and shares belonging to those named in the decision and to prohibit any financial transactions involving them.

The individuals named in the order include MPs Alia Nassif Jassim al-Obeidi, Muthanna Abdul Samad al-Samarrai, Ashwaq Salem al-Jubouri, Bahaa Nouri Mohammed, Hind Mohammed Saleh al-Abbasi, Mudhar Maan Saleh, Ziad Tariq al-Janabi, Abdul Rahman Hassan Khalid and Mohammed Farman al-Jubouri.

The list also includes former MPs Bushra Rajab al-Qaisi and Mohammed Saadoun al-Sudani, as well as Ibrahim Mohammed Abbas, an adviser to the former prime minister.

The Ministry of Finance has instructed relevant ministries and government departments, including the Ministries of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, as well as the Real Estate Registration, Traffic and Taxation authorities, to take the necessary measures to implement the court order and freeze the assets of those named.

The decision follows a large-scale security operation, dubbed “Operation Dawn”, launched in the early hours of 28 June 2026. According to statements issued by the relevant authorities at the time, the operation resulted in the arrest of several individuals named in the case over alleged corruption-related offences.

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.

Iraqi authorities have recovered over 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