ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - An Iraqi lawmaker has revealed what he described as one of the country’s largest corruption scandals, involving the disappearance of more than 1.08 trillion dinars from the state treasury over the past six years, including pensions awarded to convicted terrorists.

Amir al-Maamouri, an independent member of the parliament, told The New Region that “a large network operating in an organized manner within Iraqi government institutions has forged and altered thousands of documents.” These falsifications, he said, took place in the Forensic Medicine Department, the Martyrs Foundation, and the General Pension Authority, allowing terrorists and wanted criminals to be granted retirement status as martyrs.

Maamouri said he has closely tracked the scheme for years. “Between 2018 and 2024, around 1.08 trillion dinars were stolen through document forgeries… through which large numbers of terrorists and fugitives wetr referred to retirement benefits,” he said.

He claimed that these individuals were awarded plots of land in prime locations, reserved university seats for their children, and jobs in top government ministries. “They received retirement privileges and martyrdom grants,” Maamouri said.

Among these individuals is a man allegedly responsible for detonating seven car bombs in different areas of Iraq, according to the lawmaker. “After he was killed by security forces, he was treated as a martyr and [his family] has been receiving a retirement pension for several years.”

A high-level committee, comprising several government bodies, was formed months ago to investigate the scandal, said Maamouri adding that the probe has already uncovered the forgery of around 17,000 official documents and reports in just one Iraqi province.

The New Region reached out to relevant government agencies for comment, but they were not immediately available.