BAGHDAD — An Iraqi official says authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the longtime governor of the Central Bank of Iraq following allegations of financial wrongdoing.
Supreme Judicial Council spokesman Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar told The Associated Press on Thursday that 15 other bank officials are being sought along with Sinan al-Shabibi, a politically independent economist who has led the bank since 2003.
Bayrkdar says he doesn't know whether any of the officials have been arrested yet. A member of al-Shabibi's defense team says they are not aware of the warrants.
The allegations were raised by a special parliamentary committee formed to probe the bank. They surfaced while al-Shabibi was out of the country on official business.
On Tuesday, the Cabinet voted to replace al-Shabibi with another official until the investigation is complete.
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