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Kuwait arrests two Iraqis embezzled $124 million
Amr Salem August 4, 2024 523 4 min
The head of the Federal Commission of Integrity (COI), Haider Hanoun, during a press conference to announce that some of the funds stolen have been recovered. Photo: INA
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The head of the Federal Commission of Integrity (COI), Haider Hanoun, revealed on Thursday that the Kuwaiti authorities arrested two individuals with dual Kuwaiti and Iraqi citizenship for embezzling $124 million as part of the theft of the century.
Hanoun said in a press conference that the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, is following up on the theft of more than $2.5 billion from the General Commission for Taxes (the theft of the century), the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.
In October 2022, Iraq’s COI disclosed details about the theft of more than 3.7 trillion Iraqi dinars ($2.53 billion) from the General Commission for Taxes.
The Iraqi judiciary issued arrest warrants for senior officials in the Ministry of Finance regarding this major breach and terrible abuse of public funds.
Hanoun said earlier that procedures will be taken with Interpol to have Red Notices, which are requests to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action, published against former officials involved in the Theft of the Century.
The head of the COI indicated that Iraq is seeking to extradite those involved in the theft from countries including the UAE, Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia and called on the United States and the United Kingdom to hand over the fugitive suspects.
Hanoun elaborated that each of those involved in the theft of the century received not less than $77 million, adding that
it is a big crime where the number of suspects is more than 48.
An internal investigation carried out by the Ministry of Finance found the money had been withdrawn from the account of the General Commission for Taxes at a state-owned bank.
At that time, the Iraqi Prime Minister vowed to tackle endemic corruption in the country.
“We will not allow Iraqis’ money to be robbed,” Al-Sudani said via Twitter.
The Rafidain Bank issued a statement confirming it has nothing to do with any manipulation or theft and is only responsible for cashing the checks issued by the General Commission for Taxes.
The vast sum of cash, equivalent to nearly 3.7 trillion Iraqi dinars, was stolen by five companies from the General Commission of Taxes account at Baghdad’s Al-Rafidain Bank between September 2021 and August 2022 through the cashing in of 247 checks issued by the tax directorate, according to Rudaw News.
The Karkh Investigation Court decided on August 21, 2022, to stop the disbursement of checks issued by the General Commission for Taxes.
https://www.iraqinews.com/iraq/kuwait-arrests-two-iraqis-embezzled-124-million/
Amr Salem August 4, 2024 523 4 min
The head of the Federal Commission of Integrity (COI), Haider Hanoun, during a press conference to announce that some of the funds stolen have been recovered. Photo: INA
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The head of the Federal Commission of Integrity (COI), Haider Hanoun, revealed on Thursday that the Kuwaiti authorities arrested two individuals with dual Kuwaiti and Iraqi citizenship for embezzling $124 million as part of the theft of the century.
Hanoun said in a press conference that the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, is following up on the theft of more than $2.5 billion from the General Commission for Taxes (the theft of the century), the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.
In October 2022, Iraq’s COI disclosed details about the theft of more than 3.7 trillion Iraqi dinars ($2.53 billion) from the General Commission for Taxes.
The Iraqi judiciary issued arrest warrants for senior officials in the Ministry of Finance regarding this major breach and terrible abuse of public funds.
Hanoun said earlier that procedures will be taken with Interpol to have Red Notices, which are requests to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action, published against former officials involved in the Theft of the Century.
The head of the COI indicated that Iraq is seeking to extradite those involved in the theft from countries including the UAE, Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia and called on the United States and the United Kingdom to hand over the fugitive suspects.
Hanoun elaborated that each of those involved in the theft of the century received not less than $77 million, adding that
it is a big crime where the number of suspects is more than 48.
An internal investigation carried out by the Ministry of Finance found the money had been withdrawn from the account of the General Commission for Taxes at a state-owned bank.
At that time, the Iraqi Prime Minister vowed to tackle endemic corruption in the country.
“We will not allow Iraqis’ money to be robbed,” Al-Sudani said via Twitter.
The Rafidain Bank issued a statement confirming it has nothing to do with any manipulation or theft and is only responsible for cashing the checks issued by the General Commission for Taxes.
The vast sum of cash, equivalent to nearly 3.7 trillion Iraqi dinars, was stolen by five companies from the General Commission of Taxes account at Baghdad’s Al-Rafidain Bank between September 2021 and August 2022 through the cashing in of 247 checks issued by the tax directorate, according to Rudaw News.
The Karkh Investigation Court decided on August 21, 2022, to stop the disbursement of checks issued by the General Commission for Taxes.
https://www.iraqinews.com/iraq/kuwait-arrests-two-iraqis-embezzled-124-million/
