Iraqi researcher says corruption networks shift to digital tools

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A Baghdad-based researcher and academic said on July 5, 2026 that corruption networks in Iraq have increasingly moved away from traditional methods and turned to digital instruments. Ali Juburi said electronic contracts, digital money transfers, shell companies and front investment projects are now being used to channel illicit funds. Juburi said the digital transition has brought speed and efficiency but also created new openings for data manipulation and the concealment of beneficial owners. He called for the deployment of big-data analytics, artificial intelligence and digital fund-flow tracking to detect such schemes. The academic urged the integration of state and financial-institution databases and stronger coordination between oversight bodies and the judiciary. He said modern financial investigations should rely on the analysis of electronic records, smart contracts and the tracking of suspicious expenditures. Juburi also called for updated legislation, the training of personnel specialized in electronic and financial crimes and the establishment of a transparent system for public procurement.