ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi authorities have seized an additional 25 billion Iraqi dinars ($19 million), $200,000 in cash, and four kilograms in gold coins on Thursday in the latest corruption investigation involving former deputy oil minister Adnan al-Jumaili, the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) said, amid Iraq’s ongoing national anti-corruption crackdown.
The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on Thursday released a statement announcing the latest seizures made involving continuing investigation into former oil deputy minister of refining affairs Adnan Jumaili, who remains in custody on corruption charges.
"The total funds recovered today amount to 25 billion Iraqi dinars, $200,000, in addition to four kilograms of gold jewelry," the judge said in a statement by the SJC, in which part of the money was recovered from individuals holding the funds, while the remaining cash was found hidden inside the walls of several houses.
Jumaili's arrest is the first major corruption case under Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's administration and forms part of Operation Dawn, a nationwide anti-corruption campaign launched in late June in coordination with Iraq's Federal Commission of Integrity.
The operation has led to the arrest of dozens of current and former officials and the recovery of large amounts of stolen public funds as part of its campaign against corruption.
The latest recovery comes days after SJC announced the seizure of 375 kilograms of gold, including 358 kilograms recovered in coordination with the Kurdistan Region, also linked to the investigation into Jumaili.
Earlier this week, authorities also confiscated nine commercial properties, three flour mills in Nineveh province, and seven transport trucks connected to the same case.
According to previous announcements by the SJC, authorities had already confiscated assets linked to Jumaili worth at least 127 billion Iraqi dinars (about $97 million), $24 million in cash, real estate, vehicles, and gold jewelry.
