Iraq: Ex-Electricity Ministry official's homes found with cash, gold worth 9 billion dinars

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Federal Commission of Integrity said Wednesday that searches conducted at the homes of Khalid Ghazai Attia, a former deputy undersecretary at the Ministry of Electricity overseeing transport and distribution, uncovered large sums of cash and gold. The commission said investigators from the Baghdad Investigation Directorate carried out the searches under a judicial order after sustained surveillance and inquiry. The seizures included 1.175 billion Iraqi dinars, $5.839 million, seven gold bars and gold jewelry, according to the commission. Records from the search were referred to the investigating judge, and legal proceedings have been initiated. Security sources said Friday that an arrest warrant had previously been issued for the same official on charges of financial and administrative corruption, and that he had been detained. No further details were immediately available. Separately, the Baghdad Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court's investigating judge reported that a coordinated operation with the Kurdistan Region had yielded $20.34 million, 200 million dinars, 60 kilograms of gold and seven vehicles in the case of Adnan al-Jumaili, deputy director general of the Ministry of Oil's liquidation directorate, and his associates.