Iraqi anti-corruption body says pensions of over 16,000 deceased retirees still active

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Federal Integrity Commission has reported that more than 16,000 deceased individuals remain listed as active recipients on the country's official pension payroll, with their payments still flowing. The commission said the records continue to appear as active in the pension payment system despite the deaths having been recorded. According to the commission, death records and retirement data are not being regularly updated with the relevant authorities, creating a risk of irregularities in public spending. Officials stressed that the responsible agencies must enter death records into the system in a timely manner and that the pension database needs to be cross-checked with civil registration records. The anti-corruption body said it has launched a comprehensive review to identify any improper payments. It added that the findings would inform measures to close the gap between pension and population records and prevent further unauthorized disbursements. No further details on the scope of the review or the total amount disbursed were immediately available.