Former Iraqi MP Al-Karbouli Gets 1-Year Prison Term Over $4.5M Embezzlement

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A Baghdad court sentenced former parliamentarian Jamal Al-Karbouli to one year in prison Thursday for embezzling $4.5 million in funds allocated by Saudi Arabia for the construction of a private Saudi hospital in the capital. The Karkh First Instance Court ordered Al-Karbouli, who served as vice president of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society before becoming its president, to return the misappropriated amount through legal proceedings. Prosecutors said he diverted the Saudi grant during his tenure as deputy head of the organization. The case is part of broader anti-corruption investigations spanning Iraq's legislative and public sectors. Thursday's ruling comes amid intensified judicial action against senior political figures in the country. The court specified that Al-Karbouli must restore the funds through established legal channels. No further details were immediately available.