A sign outside Iraq’s Federal Commission of Integrity headquarters in Baghdad, which continues to lead investigations into corruption and property fraud across the country.
Basra
Iraq’s integrity commission foils $2.1m state property grab
BASRA — Iraq’s Federal Integrity Commission announced Saturday that its teams in Basra governorate prevented an attempt to seize state-owned properties worth 3 billion dinars (about $2.1 million), arresting a municipal employee accused of processing illegal ownership transfers.
The commission said its Basra investigative team moved into the Qurna municipality after gathering evidence and monitoring irregularities. Investigators arrested a municipal surveyor caught completing ownership paperwork for seven plots of land belonging to the state. The properties, officials noted, were not legally subdivided and were not covered by Cabinet Resolution No. 20 of 2025.
The commission added that the employee, who was not authorized to conduct such inspections, was also found to have processed 70 other transactions in violation of the law. Investigators discovered the manipulated files with a civilian beneficiary, who was in possession of original property deeds belonging to the municipality. His phones contained records of further dealings involving state-owned lands.
Based on a judicial search warrant, investigators searched the suspect’s home, where they seized original deeds for additional municipal properties, cash amounting to $48,600 and 10.7 million dinars (around $7,642), and further documents tied to the scheme.
The statement said the total estimated value of the seized assets and cash reached 3 billion dinars (about $2.1 million).
An official report was submitted to the Basra Court of Integrity and Money Laundering, which ordered the detention of both the municipal employee and the beneficiary, as well as a freeze on the properties involved.