Government employees unpaid due to Theft of the Century, sources

Shafaq News/ Government employees in Iraq’s Diyala province have not received their February salaries, sources revealed on Tuesday.

Sources told Shafaq News that the delay stems from the Ministry of Finance’s refusal to release funds due to missing financial documents tied to the country’s notorious “Theft of the Century” corruption scandal.

“While authorities have yet to confirm these claims, the salary delay has left thousands of workers struggling, particularly as the holy month of Ramadan approaches, heightening financial strain on families,” the sources noted.

Diyala MP Ahmed Al-Mousawi disclosed in November 2024 that the province’s share of the scandal had escalated to 40 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately $30 million).

The scandal, which came to light in October 2022, involved the fraudulent withdrawal of over 3 trillion Iraqi dinars ($2.5 billion) from tax deposits via fake bonds issued by five oil companies.

By the end of 2024, Iraq’s judiciary had sentenced multiple individuals in absentia for their roles in the “Theft of the Century.” Among them was Nour Zuhair, the primary suspect, who received a 10-year prison sentence.