Iraqi Court Sentences Senior Oil Official and Former Lawmaker to Prison and Multimillion-Dollar Fines in Corruption Crackdown

Iraq's anti-corruption body announced on Sunday that deputy oil minister for distribution affairs Ali Al Bahadli and former MP Talal Al Zubaie have been sentenced to seven years in prison alongside multimillion-dollar fines in separate cases. Both officials are among dozens detained in June during raids across areas including Baghdad’s Green Zone, which formed part of a major anti-corruption crackdown launched by Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi.

According to Iraq's Commission of Integrity, an anti-corruption court sentenced Ali Al Bahadli to seven years in jail for illicit gains. The court ruled that he must return more than $20 million in ill-gotten gains to the state and pay a fine of an equal amount. Meanwhile, Talal Al Zubaie received a seven-year prison sentence after being found guilty of illicit gains and money laundering totaling approximately 35 billion Iraqi dinars, which equates to $26.7 million. He was likewise ordered to repay these funds and pay a matching fine.

During initial investigations on June 29, investigators discovered and seized $11 million and four billion Iraqi dinars in cash hidden at Ali Al Bahadli's home, as reported by Iraq's Supreme Judiciary Council. Released images showed investigators using a drill hammer to break through a wall in a swimming pool building, revealing suitcases packed with bundles of cash alongside retail items, including a Rolex box containing a gold wristwatch. The presiding judge of the Central Criminal Court for Corruption confirmed the cash was uncovered during the initial phases of the investigation.

The developments follow US sanctions imposed on Ali Al Bahadli in May, in which Washington accused him of fraudulently mixing Iraqi and Iranian oil to help Tehran evade sanctions. Although Iraq’s Oil Ministry denied the allegations, the US Treasury previously characterized his position as enabling significant corruption within Iraq’s energy sector.

While ordinary citizens frequently blame widespread corruption for poor public services and a lack of development despite the nation's vast oil wealth, convictions of high-ranking public officials remain rare in Iraq. Authorities have carried out numerous arrests and seized millions in cash, gold, and other valuables in ongoing investigations tied to Adnan Al Jumaili, another Oil Ministry official detained at the onset of Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi's campaign. Judicial authorities reported this month that they confiscated $20.3 million in cash, 60 kilograms of gold, and seven vehicles connected to Adnan Al Jumaili, who previously served as the deputy oil minister for refining affairs.