Ali al-Bahadli gets 7 years in Iraq graft case

An Iraqi anti-corruption court has sentenced Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Affairs Ali al-Bahadli to seven years in prison for illicit gains, Iraq's Commission of Integrity said Sunday.

The commission said the ruling requires Bahadli to return to the state an amount equivalent to more than $20 million in ill-gotten gains and to pay a fine of the same amount.

Bahadli was among dozens of officials detained in June during anti-graft raids in several areas, mostly in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.

The United States imposed sanctions on Bahadli in May, accusing him of fraudulently mixing Iraqi and Iranian oil as part of a scheme to help Iran avoid sanctions. Iraq's oil ministry denied the accusations at the time.

Iraqi authorities said the raids were part of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's campaign against corruption. Several Iraqi officials told AFP the raids were also part of Zaidi's campaign against funding for pro-Iran armed groups and the smuggling of Iranian oil.

Iraq has been under pressure from the United States to curb Tehran's influence and rein in Iran-backed armed factions, which Washington designates as terrorist groups.