ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Senior Iraqi Shiite politicians are urging for the trial of the "Heist of the Century,” the alleged embezzlement of trillions of Iraqi dinars, be broadcast live, as suspicions grow over the judicial proceedings’ integrity and the involvement of high-ranking officials.
“As it is described as the Heist of the Century, its trial must be the ‘Trial of the century,’ ” Prominent Iraqi Shiite cleric Ammar al-Hakim, head of the National Wisdom Movement said during a party convention on Thursday, while calling for a public broadcast of the trial.
An investigation by the Iraqi finance ministry in October 2022 concluded that over $2.5 billion (3.7 trillion dinars) in tax funds were stolen from a bank by five companies during the tenure of former Finance Minister Ali Allawi.
“Are you afraid he would say a name? Let him say it, drag him [to the court],” Hakim said.
Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq, similarly expressed his support for such a proposal.
"We announce our support for the call... to hold a public and major trial in the case of the Theft of the Century to be broadcast live on satellite channels and on the media,” he echoed on X.
The calls for a public trial come amid suspicions that high-ranking officials may be involved.
Businessman Noor Zuhair Jassim, the primary suspect in the heist, told Iraqi media in August that he would name all individuals involved during his prosecution. "I wish they would hold a public trial," Jassim said.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani disclosed in November 2022 that Jassim had admitted to embezzling 1.618 trillion dinars (over $1.1 billion).
Although Jassim was due to appear in court in mid-August, he was not present. A Baghdad court issued a re-arrest warrant for him the day before his trial, initially scheduled for August 28.
Haider Hanoun, head of Iraq's integrity commission, called for a parliamentary session for the case, warning that the commission’s credibility was at stake. He questioned why some suspects had been detained for two years without trial, adding that they “do not accept covering up the theft of tax deposits.”
According to Hanoun, several suspects had been arrested abroad who were accused of being involved in the case and having stolen billions of Iraqi dinars.
An arrest warrant was also issued for Haitham al-Jabouri, former head of the parliamentary finance committee. He was detained in November 2022 for his involvement, but he was released on bail in early 2023.
Despite the government recovering a portion of the stolen funds, the majority remains missing. Corruption continues to plague Iraq, which ranked as the joint tenth most corrupt country in the world in 2023, according to Transparency International.
