Iraq recovers key suspect in "Theft of the Century" from Turkiye with Kurdistan's help

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Judge Haidar Hanoun, head of the Integrity Commission, provided details on the extradition of a major suspect in the infamous "Theft of the Century" case from Turkiye, with assistance from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

In a press conference, Hanoun stated, "The issue of the theft of tax deposits will not die, no matter how much the corrupt try to obscure it. This case is followed up daily or weekly by the Prime Minister and the Integrity Commission."

Hanoun announced the successful return of Qasim Mohammed Mohammed from the Kurdistan region. Mohammed, the managing director of the "Humpback Whale" company, had fled to Turkiye and is one of the main suspects in the theft of tax deposits. He also expressed his gratitude to Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari and KRG Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed for their cooperation in recovering the suspect.

"The theft of tax deposits could not have occurred without the involvement of specialists in theft and corruption," Hanoun added, noting that over 30 individuals are implicated in the case.

Addressing the final amount stolen in the tax deposit theft, Hanoun stated, "If we sum these amounts, they exceed the announced figure because the investigative judge who formed the committee arrived at a specific but imprecise amount."

Hanoun called on the Director-General of Taxes and the Minister of Finance to specify the stolen amounts from the tax deposits. "They must announce these within 15 days and identify the companies and individuals involved in the theft. At this stage, we will not accept burying the crimes in dark rooms," he emphasized.

In October 2022, the "Theft of the Century" case was first revealed, involving senior former officials and businessmen. The scandal has caused widespread outrage in Iraq, a country that has seen large-scale protests in recent years demanding an end to corruption.

The "Theft of the Century" involves the disappearance of 3.7 trillion Iraqi dinars (approximately $2.5 billion) from tax deposits uncovered by various entities shortly before the end of the previous government led by Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

In mid-July 2024, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani described the "Theft of the Century," as a black mark in Iraqi history. He pointed out that it was carried out under official cover and revealed that half of the stolen funds were smuggled out of the country.