Former traffic directorate employee gets life for embezzling over 10 billion dinars

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Federal Commission of Integrity announced Tuesday that a former employee of the General Traffic Directorate has been sentenced to life in prison for embezzling more than 10 billion dinars, equivalent to over $7 million, which he allegedly hid inside the wall of an abandoned house in Baghdad.

In a statement, the commission said the Rusafa Criminal Court handed down the sentence after the suspect was arrested and the investigation concluded. The court also ordered the convicted individual to repay the full embezzled amount: 10,446,442,000 Iraqi dinars ($7,449,500).

The ruling was issued under the second section of Article 315 of the Iraqi Penal Code. It also grants the affected entities the right to file civil lawsuits once the ruling becomes final.

The commission previously disclosed that on March 5 it carried out a special operation during which 3.39 billion dinars were recovered, hidden in suitcases along with five kilograms of gold jewelry. The items were discovered inside an abandoned house in Baghdad and allegedly concealed by four relatives of the convicted official.

Investigations are ongoing into additional missing funds as well as assets—such as vehicles and properties—that authorities suspect may have been purchased using embezzled money from the directorate.