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More Than $110 Million: Corruption Allegations Shake Oil and Logistics Companies in the Energy Sector
An informed source told *Zaman al-Wasl* that the Ministry of Finance had issued a decision imposing precautionary seizures on the movable and immovable assets belonging to several individuals and companies operating in the oil sector. The decision followed a report issued by the Central Authority for Inspection and Audit on September 16, 2026.
According to the source, the decision was based on audit reports pointing to suspected corruption and favoritism in a number of contracts and activities related to the oil-services, logistics, and energy sectors. The report estimated that these practices had caused damage to public funds exceeding $110 million in total over a period of less than five months this year.
### Companies Covered and Estimated Damages
According to the information available, the decision covered companies owned by businessman Hamad Al-Khalaf, with the following estimated financial damages attributed to them:
- **Volcon Logistics Services:** approximately $93 million.
- **Star Bertova Energy:** approximately $9,479,630.
- **Tazeez Petroleum Services:** approximately $7 million.
The decision also imposed precautionary seizures on the movable and immovable assets belonging to several individuals, including their wives in accordance with official records. They are:
- Iyad Muhammad Khair Al-Aghbar
- Aboud Ali Khalaf
- Hamad Ali Khalaf
- Muhammad Yusuf Rahal
- Jamal Muhammad Ramzi Hatem
- Musa Muhammad Ibrahim
- Ahmed Suleiman Al-Doudi
According to the source, several of these individuals hold administrative positions in the companies mentioned, while some had previously worked for companies linked to the Qaterji Group.
The precautionary seizure order is a preventive measure pending the completion of investigations and the final determination of responsibility. It does not, in itself, constitute a judicial conviction. As of the time of publication, no official comment had been obtained from the Ministry of Finance, the companies, or the individuals named in the decision regarding the allegations and financial estimates.
