Iraqi PM Adviser: More Than $2 Trillion Looted Since 2003, Corruption Trials Will Be Public
Peregraf- Iraqi Prime Minister's legal adviser, Judge Munir Haddad, said more than $2 trillion has been looted from Iraq since 2003, describing the scale of corruption uncovered in the government's ongoing crackdown as "beyond reason and logic."
Speaking to Al-Iraqiya News, Haddad said investigations into corruption cases remain ongoing and that the number of detainees continues to rise as security forces carry out daily raids and arrests.
"There are no final statistics on the number of detainees because the figure is constantly increasing," he said.
Haddad said confessions by the main suspects have led investigators to additional individuals, while some suspects attempted to flee Iraq or seek refuge in the Kurdistan Region.
"The Kurdistan Region has cooperated and handed over eight suspects so far," he said.
According to Haddad, the investigation involves current and former senior officials as well as members of parliament. He said the charges extend beyond embezzlement to include illicit enrichment and money laundering.
He described the wealth accumulated by some officials as "unreadable and unbelievable," citing one case in which the wife of a suspect purchased a $5 million property and others in which officials owned more than 50 properties registered in their own names or those of family members.
Haddad said all recovered funds and confiscated assets would be returned to Iraq's state treasury.
He added that the anti-corruption campaign is expanding to additional provinces, including Basra, Dhi Qar, and Maysan, with no exceptions or "red lines."
The adviser said investigations are being conducted in secrecy to prevent suspects from fleeing and stressed that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has rejected political pressure aimed at slowing the campaign.
Haddad also announced that corruption trials will be conducted publicly and broadcast to citizens, comparing them to the public trials held for former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and senior officials of his regime.
He said those convicted would not be released and that paying bail does not amount to acquittal, emphasizing that all suspects would face trial under Iraqi law.
The remarks come as Iraqi authorities continue a sweeping anti-corruption campaign centered on former Deputy Oil Minister for Refining Affairs Adnan al-Jumaili. The investigation has expanded to include numerous members of parliament and senior government officials.
The broader investigation has already resulted in the arrest of dozens of MPs and senior government officials during operations launched on June 28 and in the days that followed. Judicial authorities have said additional arrests and legal measures are expected as the corruption probe continues to expand.