Iraqi Lawmaker Says 21 Corruption Cases Filed Against National Investment Commission
A member of Iraq's parliamentary Investment Committee alleged that multiple corruption cases involving the National Investment Commission are under investigation, including claims related to land allocations, seized gold, and alleged fraud against investors.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Avesta Mam Yahya, a member of the Iraqi Parliament's Investment Committee, said on Tuesday that 21 corruption cases involving Iraq's National Investment Commission are currently under investigation, alleging irregularities that include a disputed land allocation valued at more than $18 trillion and the seizure of 408 kilograms of gold during a recent anti-corruption campaign.
Speaking to Kurdistan24 on Tuesday, Mam Yahya said integrity committees and security forces had seized 408 kilograms of gold over the past 25 days as part of ongoing investigations.
Mam Yahya said the corruption cases remain active despite the head of the National Investment Commission not attending a parliamentary session.
He alleged that the cases had already been substantiated, citing as one example the allocation of 5,000 dunams of land near an airport to two companies in a deal he claimed was worth more than $18 trillion.
According to the lawmaker, it remains unclear through what mechanism the investment authorization was granted. He added that several other corruption cases involving the commission had also been uncovered.
Mam Yahya further alleged that the head of the National Investment Commission had deceived a number of investors from the Kurdistan Region and taken their money, saying the allegations form part of one of the ongoing case files.
The parliamentarian said authorities are reviewing most investment files across Iraq's provinces and are conducting inspections of investment directorates nationwide.
He added that the committee has requested reviews of projects that received investment licenses 10 years ago, arguing that some projects were granted licenses but were never implemented.
On the morning of Sunday, June 28, 2026, the Iraqi Security forces and the Counter-Terrorism Service, in coordination with the Supreme Judicial Council, launched a large-scale operation known as the "Dawn Campaign."
According to the information provided, the operation resulted in the arrest of a number of senior officials and political figures.