Elderly beggar dies in Baghdad, leaving behind 500 million dinars and unanswered questions

BAGHDAD, December 23 — In Baghdad’s Al-Hurriya neighborhood, an elderly woman has died, leaving behind 500 million dinars and a number of unanswered questions. The unidentified woman, who lived alone and begged on the streets for a living, was discovered by neighbors who found five plastic bags filled with money in her humble apartment.

The woman, identified as the mother of two sons—one serving as an officer and the other as a medical professional—had been living away from her children for an extended period. Upon learning of her death, the sons revealed that they had lost contact with their mother for years, adding an element of mystery to her recent life.

Images from the woman’s home showed security forces emptying plastic bags filled with various denominations of Iraqi dinars.

This incident raises questions about the existence of so-called “rich beggars” and the complexities surrounding their reasons for resorting to begging.