Investigation into Iraq’s bank heist to continue, says judge

BAGHDAD, August 23 — Judge Diaa Jaafar of the Al-Karkh Investigative Court declared on Wednesday that the investigation into the bank heist that stole an estimated $2.5 billion in tax revenues will continue, emphasizing that the individuals implicated in the case would to stand trial.

In a statement to Iraq’s official new agency, INA, Judge Jaafar said:

All individuals implicated in the tax authority case, for which the Integrity Commission confirmed extradition cases to bring them back to Iraq, have faced legal measures against them. They are accused of facilitating the misappropriation of tax revenues. We have reiterated that this accusation will not stop at a single person, but investigations will continue to substantiate the allegations against all implicated parties.

The tax revenue embezzlement scheme was executed with the collaboration of several employees, some of whom are detained within the country and others abroad. The investigations are ongoing to pursue them and enforce their presence until their trial.

The media reports regarding this matter are grounded in logical and objective evidence that emerged during the court’s investigations into the case.