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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1h

Dive into the Barzanis’ luxury lifestyles — and the sources of their spending — in our investigation with @govacctproj.bsky.social

www.occrp.org/en/investiga...

Mansions, Horses, and Designer Bags: How the Ruling Family of Iraqi Kurdistan Splurged in the U.S.

The five sons of Iraqi Kurdistan’s founding president acquired real estate across the United States and went on luxury shopping sprees. At least some of the money came from major Kurdish…

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1h

OCCRP repeatedly requested comment from the other four Barzani brothers, both directly and through various lawyers, as well as from Golden Eagle Global and the Kurdish government. None replied.

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1h

The lawyers also said that there is “nothing unlawful about the ownership of property in other jurisdictions”, and that it is “neither uncommon nor unreasonable for wealthy, high profile individuals to protect their privacy and security.”

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1h

Lawyers for Masrour Barzani, Iraqi Kurdistan’s prime minister, said he “vehemently rejects” any wrongdoing. They didn’t respond to questions about potential conflicts of interest.

The lawyers added that Barzani’s “fervent commitment” to anti-corruption and anti-terrorism is a “matter of record”.

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1h

The Barzanis have positioned themselves as close U.S. allies and are well-connected in Washington D.C.

Our findings raise questions about possible conflicts of interest over their ties to Golden Eagle Global.

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1h

Kurdish conglomerate Golden Eagle Global, working in sectors from construction to U.S. military contracts, has no public ownership ties to the Barzanis.

But leaked emails and docs suggest it was controlled by Mustafa Barzani, bankrolling millions of dollars of personal spending.

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1h

Leaked docs reveal that, between 2005 and 2019, four sons of Iraqi Kurdistan’s founding president Masoud Barzani bought over $100m in U.S. properties.

At least some of the money came from Kurdish firms controlled by two brothers, leaked records suggest.

www.occrp.org/en/investiga...

Mansions, Horses, and Designer Bags: How the Ruling Family of Iraqi Kurdistan Splurged in the U.S.

The five sons of Iraqi Kurdistan’s founding president acquired real estate across the United States and went on luxury shopping sprees. At least some of the money came from major Kurdish…

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1h

The law firm had a plan to keep the Barzanis’ names “off of the public records.”

Each of the five brothers would own an offshore firm named after a pirate from the movie series.

These companies would then anonymously own U.S. companies that held the property deeds.

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1h

In 2007, an employee of Iraqi Kurdistan’s ruling Barzani family wrote to a U.S. lawyer with a problem.

Two Barzani brothers had bought properties in the U.S. — but they were concerned that this information was public.

So the lawyer looked to the Pirates of the Caribbean.

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 4h

Jail Chief Linked to Ivanishvili Aide’s Beating Found Dead in Tbilisi

www.occrp.org/en/news/jail...

Jail Chief Linked to Ivanishvili Aide’s Beating Found Dead in Tbilisi

A former Georgian prison chief has been found dead amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged beating of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili’s former ally Giorgi Bachiashvili’s in prison. His death...

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 5h

Mansions, Horses, and Designer Bags: How the Ruling Family of Iraqi Kurdistan Splurged in the U.S.

www.occrp.org/en/investiga...

Mansions, Horses, and Designer Bags: How the Ruling Family of Iraqi Kurdistan Splurged in the U.S.

The five sons of Iraqi Kurdistan’s founding president acquired real estate across the United States and went on luxury shopping sprees. At least some of the money came from major Kurdish conglomerates...

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 5h

Lawyers for Iraqi Kurdistan’s PM Masrour Barzani rejected any wrongdoing and said he had a “fervent commitment” to anti-corruption, and that it was reasonable for him to protect his privacy. They didn’t reply to questions about potential conflicts of interest.

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 5h

NEW: Four brothers from Iraqi Kurdistan’s ruling Barzani family bought over $100 million in U.S. properties, leaked documents show.

At least some of the money came from major Kurdish companies two of the brothers secretly controlled, leaked records suggest.

www.occrp.org/en/investiga...

Mansions, Horses, and Designer Bags: How the Ruling Family of Iraqi Kurdistan Splurged in the U.S.

The five sons of Iraqi Kurdistan’s founding president acquired real estate across the United States and went on luxury shopping sprees. At least some of the money came from major Kurdish…

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 7h

The Organized Crime and Reporting Project (OCCRP) is issuing a call for proposals to all Ukrainian non-profit investigative media organizations.

www.occrp.org/en/announcem...

Open Call for Independent Ukrainian Investigative Media Subgrant Proposals

The Organized Crime and Reporting Project (OCCRP) is issuing a call for proposals to all Ukrainian non-profit investigative media organizations.

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 7h

When freedom of the press is under attack, journalists vanish, lies become law, and the voice of the people is silenced. It’s not just how democracies die, it’s how countries falter. It’s how they fall.

OCCRP fights back with facts — and we need you with us: membership.occrp.org/truth-or-sil...

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 13h

For years, we’ve reported on Chinese-born Uyghur businessman Khabibula Abdukadyr, who colluded with corrupt Kyrgyz customs officials as he built his Central Asian trading empire.

Now documents show that his son owns a mosque in London.

www.occrp.org/en/scoop/son...

Son of Alleged Smuggling Tycoon Spent $3 Million on London Mosque

The Satuq Bughra Khan mosque in Palmers Green is also a Uyghur cultural and educational center. The owner’s family is implicated in vast corruption in Central Asia.

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1d

AI Deepfakes Drive Surge in Online Child Abuse, Report Warns

www.occrp.org/en/news/ai-d...

AI Deepfakes Drive Surge in Online Child Abuse, Report Warns

Related Reporting

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1d

Saber Chouchane has been released after having been sentenced to death for Facebook posts criticizing President Kais Saied. The case sparked national outrage and international concern over the erosion of freedom of speech and civil liberties in Tunisia.

www.occrp.org/en/news/tuni...

Tunisian Man Freed After Death Sentence for Facebook Posts Sparks Outrage

Saber Chouchane has been released after having been sentenced to death for Facebook posts criticizing President Kais Saied. The case sparked national outrage and international concern over the erosion...

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1d

A new mosque and Uyghur cultural center in London is owned by the son of a businessman who colluded with corrupt officials to dominate the flow of Chinese imports into Central Asia.

www.occrp.org/en/scoop/son...

Son of Alleged Smuggling Tycoon Spent $3 Million on London Mosque

The Satuq Bughra Khan mosque in Palmers Green is also a Uyghur cultural and educational center. The owner’s family is implicated in vast corruption in Central Asia.

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 1d

When freedom of the press is under attack, journalists vanish, lies become law, and the voice of the people is silenced. It’s not just how democracies die, it’s how countries falter. It’s how they fall.

OCCRP fights back with facts — and we need you with us: membership.occrp.org/truth-or-sil...

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 2d

A group called Gen Z 212 is coordinating demonstrations in Morocco that have engulfed the country more than a week ago. The protesters demand social justice and an end to corruption.

www.occrp.org/en/news/anti...

Anti-Corruption Protests in Morocco Enter Their 10th Night

A group called Gen Z 212 is coordinating demonstrations in Morocco that have engulfed the country more than a week ago. The protesters demand social justice and an end to corruption.

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 2d

The Satuq Bughra Khan mosque in Palmers Green is also a Uyghur cultural and educational center. The owner’s family is implicated in vast corruption in Central Asia.

www.occrp.org/en/scoop/son...

Son of Alleged Smuggling Kingpin Spent $3 Million on London Mosque

The Satuq Bughra Khan mosque in Palmers Green is also a Uyghur cultural and educational center. The owner’s family is implicated in vast corruption in Central Asia.

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 2d

He now chairs the board of trustees of Izqilar, the Uyghur charity that runs the mosque.

There is no evidence that Izqilar staff were aware of the origin of the funds. A representative declined to answer questions and hung up when a reporter mentioned Nur Muhammed.

www.occrp.org/en/scoop/son...

Son of Alleged Smuggling Kingpin Spent $3 Million on London Mosque

The Satuq Bughra Khan mosque in Palmers Green is also a Uyghur cultural and educational center. The owner’s family is implicated in vast corruption in Central Asia.

www.occrp.org

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 2d

We don’t know where the money came from. But documents show that, while using another name, Nur Muhammed had received over $1.8M through the financial network allegedly used to launder his family’s proceeds.

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Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project @occrp.org · 2d

But we didn’t know at the time that Khabibulla’s son, Nur Muhammed, also bought the former church in North London.

Since then, it’s been converted into the Satuq Bughra Khan Mosque and Uyghur Islamic Education Centre.

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