Iraqi Official Says Stolen Public Funds Exceed $2 Trillion Since 2003

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published July 2, 2026

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An Iraqi legal adviser has said that the value of public funds stolen from Iraq since 2003 has exceeded $2 trillion, in one of the most striking official statements yet about the scale of corruption facing the country.

Judge Munir Haddad, legal adviser to the Iraqi prime minister, said the figures related to stolen money and properties linked to suspects were “beyond reason and logic,” according to Iraq’s state news agency INA. He also said that corruption suspects would face public trials as investigations continue.

Haddad said authorities are still questioning detainees and that there is no final count of suspects because raids and arrests remain ongoing. According to reports citing the same remarks, confessions by key suspects have led investigators to additional names, including people who allegedly tried to flee Iraq or seek refuge in the Kurdistan Region.

The cases reportedly include current and former officials, as well as lawmakers, and are not limited to traditional embezzlement. Haddad said the investigations also cover unexplained wealth, money laundering, and assets registered under relatives’ names, under the principle of asking officials: “Where did you get this from?”

The latest statements come amid a broader anti-corruption campaign in Iraq. Reuters reported that Iraqi security forces recently detained politicians and senior officials as part of a crackdown ordered by the prime minister, while local and regional reports say authorities have seized large amounts of cash, gold, properties, and other assets linked to corruption investigations.

Haddad said recovered money and confiscated properties would be returned to the Iraqi treasury, stressing that the campaign would not be limited to one institution or province. The remarks signal a widening effort by Baghdad to confront corruption that has long damaged public services, weakened trust in state institutions, and fueled public anger over the misuse of national wealth.

If confirmed through court proceedings and official recovery actions, the $2 trillion figure would place Iraq’s stolen funds file among the largest corruption cases in the region since 2003.