Iraq Jails Sanctioned Oil Official Over Corruption

A US-sanctioned Iraqi oil official has been sentenced to seven years in prison for corruption. The official, Ali Maarij, was the deputy oil minister responsible for distribution affairs.

Maarij's assets had increased unexplainedly by about 26.5 billion Iraqi dinars, which is roughly equivalent to $20 million. He was also ordered to pay a fine of the same amount.

The sentence was handed down as part of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's campaign against corruption in Iraq, which has been plagued for decades.

The United States had imposed sanctions on Maarij earlier this year for allegedly mixing Iraqi and Iranian oil to help Iran evade sanctions.