ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Muthanna al-Samarrai, leader of Iraq’s Sunni Azm Alliance, was sentenced to six years in prison on Thursday on corruption-related charges, the country’s integrity commission announced, four months after his arrest in a major anti-graft campaign. 

In a statement, the integrity commission announced the sentence against Samarrai “for the crime of profiting from public works and contracts. The court has also ordered him to return the 30 billion dinars (~$20 million) he gained through these actions.” 

Samarrai is a prominent politician and businessman who leads the Sunni Azm Alliance, which holds 15 seats in the Iraqi parliament. 

He was arrested in June during the launch of a major anti-corruption campaign by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, as security forces moved into Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone and arrested scores of lawmakers and political figures. 

He is also a member of the Iraqi parliament. 

“The convicted individual also played a role in awarding contracts and purchase orders, and authorizing payments for them, to individuals and companies linked to him through four private sector firms,” the integrity commission said. 

Iraqi lawmaker Ziad al-Janabi, also from the Azm Alliance, was handed a five-year prison sentence on similar charges of profiting from government contracts, according to the integrity commission.

Other high-profile figures arrested during Zaidi’s anti-corruption crackdown were former Wasit Governor Mohammed Jamil al-Mayahi, Oil Ministry Undersecretary Ali Ma’arij al-Bahadli, and Ibrahim al-Sumaidaie, a senior adviser to former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani.

By late July, Baghdad had seized over $125 million and 380 kilograms of gold and jewelry in a corruption case involving Adnan al-Jumaili, the detained oil ministry undersecretary for refining affairs.

During September, the commission issued 237 arrest warrants, including 17 for high-ranking officials.