Baghdad court sentences Nur Zuheir and two others in ‘Theft of the Century’ case

BAGHDAD – The Karkh Criminal Court in Baghdad sentenced Nur Zuheir, the main defendant in the embezzlement of tax deposits, to 10 years in prison on Monday.

Raed Jouhi, the former head of the office of ex-Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, received a six-year sentence, while Haitham Al-Jubouri, the former head of the parliamentary finance committee, was sentenced to three years.

Zuheir’s current whereabouts remain unknown, and it is unclear when he will be apprehended.

In a statement, the court announced, “The Karkh Criminal Court for Anti-Corruption has resolved the cases related to the embezzlement of tax deposits.”

The $2.5 billion tax deposit embezzlement case, widely referred to as the “Theft of the Century,” has become a symbol of widespread corruption in Iraq. The court confirmed sentences of 10 years for Zuheir, six years for Jouhi, and three years for Al-Jubouri, alongside penalties for other unnamed officials involved in the scandal.

In late August, an Iraqi court issued a new arrest warrant for Zuheir, who had evaded capture. His guarantors were given a two-week deadline to ensure his return to authorities. A trial session was scheduled for Aug. 27 but postponed due to Zuheir’s absence from Iraq.

Zuheir appeared on Sharqiya TV on Aug. 19, declaring his intent to “attend the trial session in Baghdad on Aug. 27.” He threatened to reveal names and details linked to other corruption cases, asserting his “innocence” and pledging legal action against his accusers. “I will not rest until justice is served,” he stated.

Zuheir was initially arrested in 2022 but was released after returning just 5% of the allegedly embezzled funds. He has repeatedly denied the charges, calling the case a “blatant attempt to extort him.”