Communications Minister Reveals Escape of Key Officials in Ex-Oil Undersecretary's Corruption Case to France

Minister of Communications, Mustafa Sanad, announced on Sunday the escape to France of two prominent figures wanted by the Iraqi judiciary in the corruption case involving former Oil Ministry Undersecretary Adnan al-Jumaili. Sanad stated via social media that the official heading the economic committee for the detained undersecretary fled Iraq with his brother, allegedly carrying smuggled funds estimated at around half a billion US dollars. The minister affirmed the Prime Minister's insistence on their judicial and legal pursuit through international channels to recover both them and the smuggled funds. Separately, informed sources revealed the Iraqi judiciary issued international arrest warrants (Interpol) against fleeing brothers Hassan and Mohammed al-Kurdi in the Refineries case. The sources explained that the Al-Kurdi brothers were outside Iraq when the other defendant, Adnan al-Jumaili, was arrested. Hassan al-Kurdi is a key wanted individual, directly responsible for managing the "commissions" file in refinery contracts, who successfully smuggled vast sums via a complex financial network operating abroad.