California – April 24, 2026 (New York time) — The U.S. government is initiating forfeiture proceedings for a mansion valued at approximately $30 million in Beverly Hills, following allegations that the owner was involved in a military contract corruption scheme.
The U.S. Department of Justice stated that the property belongs to Mansour Barzani, a general in the Peshmerga forces, who is suspected of accepting bribes to facilitate an exclusive fuel supply monopoly for the U.S. military during the anti-ISIS campaign.
According to information from civil court filings, a Virginia-based defense contractor received over $700 million from the Defense Logistics Agency and subsequently paid “commissions” to Mr. Barzani at a rate of approximately $0.25 per liter of fuel to secure supply rights at Erbil International Airport.
Authorities allege that Mr. Barzani received hundreds of millions of dollars from the contracts and funneled the money into a trust to purchase and renovate the multi-million dollar mansion at 945 Foothill Road.
The property, spanning over 10,000 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, was purchased for $20 million in 2018, significantly upgraded, and is currently valued at nearly $30 million.
The case is being handled by the Department of Justice’s anti-money laundering units in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Mr. Barzani is the son of the former President of the Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, and the younger brother of the current Prime Minister, Masrour Barzani.
The civil forfeiture lawsuit is currently underway.
