International commission in Baghdad reviews corruption files targeting former prime ministers

BAGHDAD, Iraq — An international commission has begun examining corruption cases in Baghdad involving former prime ministers, senior state officials and current and former lawmakers, a political source said. The commission has drawn up a preliminary list of names and is reviewing financial documents, bank records and cross-border transfer channels tracked through international auditing systems, amid suspicions that public funds were moved abroad. The review focuses on cases, including the so-called "Heist of the Century" case, that allege billions of dollars in public losses over the past years. Files under examination name officials at various levels, including lawmakers accused of using political influence to push through disputed contracts or to provide cover for financial networks. The commission is coordinating with the Iraqi government team to match documents with transfer records and trace the source and destinations of the funds, according to the source. The source added that the commission holds a financial map that includes intermediary companies and bank accounts spread across multiple countries. No further details on the commission's composition or the timeline of its work were immediately available.