Diaa Jaafar, the investigating judge at Iraq’s Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court, announced on Sunday that authorities had seized $20 million and recovered 60 kilograms of gold in a corruption case involving suspended Deputy Oil Minister for Refining Affairs Adnan al-Jumaili. In a statement released by Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council and reported by the German Press Agency (dpa), Jaafar said that, in coordination with the Kurdistan Region, authorities had seized $20.34 million, 200 million Iraqi dinars, and seven vehicles, in addition to recovering 60 kilograms of gold. The seizures were made as part of the case against Jumaili and other individuals allegedly involved in the corruption scheme. He said that follow-up and investigative efforts to recover funds obtained through squandering and irregularities in projects carried out by the defendant and others involved in the case led to the seizure of the cash, gold jewelry and vehicles. The judge said the investigation is ongoing and that authorities are pursuing other suspects before completing the necessary legal procedures against them.
