Baghdad: Iraq's judiciary issued arrest warrants on Saturday for four former officials accused of helping to steal $2.5 billion in public funds in one of the biggest corruption scandals the country has ever seen.

According to a statement from the government's anti-corruption agency, "arrest warrants have been issued" for four senior former government officials.

An agency official said on condition of anonymity that the four people, including a former finance minister and Mustafa al-Rishtedar, all of Kadimi live abroad.

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According to the official, the officials are former Finance Minister Ali Allawi, Director of the Cabinet Raed Jouhi, Private Secretary Ahmed Najti and Advisor Mushrik Abbas. The warrant does not specifically name any officers.

Allavi, a well-known educationist and politician, had resigned in August last year after the scam came to light. The case, which has been dubbed the "heist of the century", sparked outrage in Iraq, which has been accused by critics of being corrupt and home to significant amounts of oil.

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At least $2.5 billion was stolen between September 2021 and August 2022 through 247 checks cashed by five companies. Funds were then siphoned off from the accounts of these businesses, most of whose owners are on the run.

According to the statement, the four men are accused of "facilitating embezzlement of funds belonging to tax authorities", and their assets will also be confiscated.

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Since taking office in late October, the country's current prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, has vowed to root out corruption.