ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s Federal Integrity Commission announced Tuesday that it had uncovered an embezzlement case in Diyala's electricity directorate, involving nearly 2 billion dinars. The case resulted in the dismissal of four senior officials at the department.

The Integrity Commission staff in Diyala “uncovered the embezzlement and theft of electrical materials valued at over 1.7 billion dinars,” the commission revealed in a statement, adding that “four senior officials” at the province’s electricity distribution directorate were dismissed for “exploiting their positions and misappropriating public funds.”

The warehouse managers, to whom the materials were supposed to be delivered, reported that they had received the packages.

During the operation, which was carried out under a judicial warrant, original payment records and relevant documents related to the case were seized. The suspects purportedly arranged irregular disbursement documents, had them approved by the directorate’s audit department, and retained copies.

The suspects were charged under Article 316 of the Iraqi Penal Code, concerning public officials and civil servants for embezzlement and abuse of their positions for personal gains.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said in May that his government will launch a “comprehensive” reform plan to strengthen several industries, pledging that under his leadership, Baghdad will “work vigorously” to protect public funds against corruption, as it “constitutes an obstacle and delays the progress of the state.”

In December 2025, the commission announced recovering more than $17.4 million in funds linked to corruption, through efforts to pursue money smuggled outside the country.

Despite government efforts to clamp down on corruption and bribery, Iraq ranked 140 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index.