Iraq Arrest of a suspect in the case of "theft" of 2.5 billion dollars in tax money

October 26, 2022

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Iraq Arrest of a suspect in the case of "theft" of 2.5 billion dollars in tax money The Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of security forces, a businessman accused of involvement in the case of "stealing" 2.5 billion dollars in tax money while he was trying to leave Iraq" from Baghdad International Airport. On Monday, Iraqi security forces stood at Baghdad airport, a businessman accused of being involved in the "stealing" case of $2.5 billion in tax funds while he was trying to leave Iraq, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior. This issue, which came out to the media in mid-October, sparked widespread controversy in Iraq, which suffers from chronic corruption despite its oil revolution. An official letter issued by the Tax Authority revealed that $2.5 billion was withdrawn between September 2021 and August 2022 from the Rafidain State Bank, through 247 financial instruments, issued to five companies, which paid them in cash directly. The statement issued by Interior Minister Othman Al-Ghanimi stated that "Noor Zuhair Jassim was arrested at Baghdad International Airport while he was trying to leave the country by private plane." For its part, the Governmental Integrity Commission said in a statement on Monday that the suspect is the "delegated director of the (Al-Mabdioon) Company for Oil Services Ltd.", and he is "one of the accused in the case of the amounts of tax deposits deposited in the branches of the Rafidain Bank." The judiciary had previously heard statements from a number of officials in the Tax Authority on this issue, and also issued arrest warrants against the owners of companies accused of withdrawing funds. Iraq ranks 157 (out of 180) in Transparency International's "Perceptions of Corruption" index. Often, if corruption cases do occur, trials target officials in secondary positions. The United Nations envoy to Iraq, Jenin Plasschaert, said in early October: "The rampant corruption represents a major root cause of dysfunction in Iraq." "Frankly, no leader can claim to be protected from him," she added.

The Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of security forces, a businessman accused of involvement in the case of "stealing" 2.5 billion dollars in tax money while he was trying to leave Iraq" from Baghdad International Airport.

On Monday, Iraqi security forces stood at Baghdad airport, a businessman accused of being involved in the "stealing" case of $2.5 billion in tax funds while he was trying to leave Iraq, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior.

This issue, which came out to the media in mid-October, sparked widespread controversy in Iraq, which suffers from chronic corruption despite its oil revolution.

An official letter issued by the Tax Authority revealed that $2.5 billion was withdrawn between September 2021 and August 2022 from the Rafidain State Bank, through 247 financial instruments, issued to five companies, which paid them in cash directly.

The statement issued by Interior Minister Othman Al-Ghanimi stated that "Noor Zuhair Jassim was arrested at Baghdad International Airport while he was trying to leave the country by private plane."

For its part, the Governmental Integrity Commission said in a statement on Monday that the suspect is the "delegated director of the (Al-Mabdioon) Company for Oil Services Ltd.", and he is "one of the accused in the case of the amounts of tax deposits deposited in the branches of the Rafidain Bank."

The judiciary had previously heard statements from a number of officials in the Tax Authority on this issue, and also issued arrest warrants against the owners of companies accused of withdrawing funds.

Iraq ranks 157 (out of 180) in Transparency International's "Perceptions of Corruption" index. Often, if corruption cases do occur, trials target officials in secondary positions.

The United Nations envoy to Iraq, Jenin Plasschaert, said in early October: "The rampant corruption represents a major root cause of dysfunction in Iraq." "Frankly, no leader can claim to be protected from him," she added.