Mosul content creator Abu Jannah released on bail as money laundering charge dropped

MOSUL — A Nineveh investigative court ordered the release of Mosul-based content creator Abdul Rahman Mohammed, known as Abu Jannah, on financial bail backed by four guarantors Thursday, nearly two weeks after his arrest, after money laundering allegations were dropped for insufficient evidence.

Defense lawyer Mohammed al-Karraf said the case has been reclassified under Article 456 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which concerns fraud. He said the release on bail does not mean the case is closed and that judicial proceedings will continue while Abu Jannah remains outside detention.

Abu Jannah was arrested on June 2 as part of a National Security Service operation targeting nine content creators in Mosul, launched under directives aimed at limiting content considered harmful to public taste. Investigators later focused on the financial aspects of his activities, including the sources of funds used in promotional campaigns through which cars, cash and other prizes were distributed on his online platforms.

Abu Jannah rose to prominence through social media videos promoting his businesses, particularly a fish restaurant that became one of Mosul’s best-known food brands. In a 2024 interview with 964media, he said he entered the restaurant business in 2020 after a social media post offering masgouf fish unexpectedly generated customer demand, eventually growing into a large-scale operation serving thousands of customers.