Theft Of The Century Remains In Iraq’s Headlines

Nour Zuhair the main figure in the Theft of the Century was arrested, paid bail and then disappeared

The “Theft of the Century” where $2.5 billion was stolen from the government remains one of the biggest stories in Iraq. The main figure involved in the scandal Nour Zuhair was arrested, paid bail and then disappeared while the head of the country’s anti-corruption Integrity Commission claimed that one of the judges in the case colluded with Zuhair.

 

Iraqi courts announced that Nour Zuhair would be tried in absentia. He is the main figure in the corruption scandal where $2.5 bill was stolen from the General Commission for Taxes from September 2021 to August 2022. Zuhair was arrested trying to leave the country but then promised to return all the funds he stole and was allowed to pay bail to be released by Judge Diaa Jaafar. Afterwards Zuhair was reportedly in Lebanon and missed his date to appear in court. He claims that what he did was legal and he was simply trying to avoid bureaucratic red tape. He also threatened to expose all those involved if he was tried.

 

At the start of September the head of the Integrity Commission Haider Hanoun gave a press conference where he accused Judge Jaafar of collaborating with Zuhair. Hanoun claimed that files in the case went missing and that Judge Jaafar had issued a warrant for him involving the theft as a political move against him. This has all led to wild speculation in Iraq’s media.

 

The Theft of the Century is just one of many corruption stories that sweeps Iraq every few months. The ruling parties rely upon pilfering the state to run the country and maintain their lavish lifestyles. Zuhair’s comments about exposing others involved was probably enough to get the elite to try to squash the case. As one parliamentarian from the Coordination Framework which runs the government said if names were revealed it could threaten the political system. He was basically admitting that the powerful were involved. It’s the reason why few major corruption cases ever go to trial and if people are found guilty they usually don’t go to jail because they have left the country like Zuhair.

 

SOURCES

 

Al Aalem, “After Hanoun’s “scandalous” conference, Zuhair puts everyone to the test,” 9/5/24

 

Al Hurra, “Theft of the Century in Iraq .. The Password disappears under Bail,” 8/29/24

 

Mahmoud, Sinan, “Iraq to try ‘heist of the century’ mastermind in his absence,” The National, 9/9/24

 

Al Rafidain, “Representative for the Coordination Framework: We fear “the ruin of the political process” by revealing the names of those involved in the theft of the century,” 8/4/24