ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s Federal Commission of Integrity announced on Sunday the seizure of more than $6 million, seven gold bars and gold jewelry at the home of the deputy electricity minister for transport and distribution amid Iraq’s ongoing anti-corruption crackdown.
“A team from the Baghdad Investigation Directorate, following intensive monitoring, inquiries and investigations, managed to find large sums of money and quantities of gold in several houses belonging to the accused, Khalid Ghazai Atiya, Deputy Minister of Electricity for Transport and Distribution, against whom the commission’s personnel had previously carried out an arrest warrant,” the Iraqi Federal Commission of Integrity announced, according to state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA).
According to the statement, “the seized funds amounted to 1,175,000,000 Iraqi dinars [$900,000] and 5,839,000 U.S. dollars, in addition to seven gold bars and gold jewelry.”
The seizure of assets marks the latest recovery in Iraq’s nationwide anti-corruption campaign, known as “Operation Dawn,” initiated by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in late June in coordination with the Federal Commission of Integrity.
The arrest of former deputy oil minister Adnan al-Jumaili in May served as a trigger for the massive operation and exposed widespread embezzlement in the public sector.
The latest operations regarding Jumaili have recovered $20 million seized, 60 kilograms of gold and seven cars according to a Sunday statement from Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council.
Several Iraqi members of parliament have lauded the anti-corruption drive, calling for equal enforcement.
Sumaya Al-Khabouri, a member of parliament representing the Al-Siyada Bloc, called on the government to expand the campaign beyond individual provinces or political groups.
“We call upon the government to continue and for these steps to be applied to all, rather than being enforced in one province, against one party or group. It must be applied to all those involved in corruption and the squandering of public funds,” she said.
Murtada al-Saadi of the Reconstruction and Development Bloc said his bloc supports the judiciary-led campaign but raised concerns about some of the procedures.
“We strongly support the campaign undertaken by the judiciary in cooperation with government institutions and the Prime Minister's orders. However, we have some reservations regarding the procedures that caused complications for certain families and others,” he expressed.
In mid July, the SJC said authorities had seized 25 billion Iraqi dinars, $200,000 and four kilograms of gold jewelry in the case. Earlier, authorities announced the seizure of 375 kilograms of gold, including 358 kilograms recovered in coordination with the Kurdistan Region.
Iraq ranked 136th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, reflecting continued concerns over corruption and the recovery of public funds.
