Amsterdam & Partners Issues Warning over Attempted Interference with Iraqi Judicial Process

Law Firm Denounces Pressure Exerted on Trade Bank of Iraq to Facilitate Unlawful Settlement with Convicted Fraudsters

NEW YORK, NY – October 28, 2025 – Amsterdam & Partners LLP has issued a legal warning to members of the office of the Prime Minister of Iraq who are believed to have engaged in unlawful political interference with the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI) to force through a settlement agreement benefiting the Hanna Brothers – Nizar, Namir and Ramez Hanna Abdo – three convicted fraudsters under ongoing legal proceedings.

The letter, sent on behalf of the firm’s client, prominent Iraqi-American businesswoman Sara Hamed Saleem, notes that individuals within the Prime Minister’s office applied direct pressure and issued threats to senior TBI officials in order to secure approval for the deal. This constitutes an act of unlawful interference with judicial proceedings and improper political pressure on a public financial institution.

“This proposed deal is not a lawful resolution—it is a distortion of the judicial process,” said Robert Amsterdam, Founder and Managing Partner of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, adding that the proposal is “designed to allow convicted financial criminals to escape full accountability, while stripping victims of their legal rights”.

The proposed settlement would transfer property to TBI in lieu of repayment, while waiving accrued interest and reassigning obligations, terms that would reallocate value, lift seizures and prejudice the rights of non-consenting third parties, in violation of Iraqi law. “No public bank can legalise fraud by hiding behind political instructions”, Amsterdam continued.

Amsterdam & Partners LLP has made clear that it will pursue immediate and comprehensive action if the settlement is approved, including initiating civil and criminal proceedings, submitting sanctions referrals, and taking steps to protect seized assets and ensure full restitution for victims.

Amsterdam concluded that “the institutions of Iraq are being tested—and so is the willingness of the international community to respond to corruption that threatens the integrity of the judicial process”.

Amsterdam & Partners LLP is an international law firm based in Washington, DC and London, specialising in political advocacy and human rights. For more information, please visit www.amsterdamandpartners.com.