U.S. troops caught stealing
The week's news at a glance.
Baghdad
Four U.S. soldiers were arrested this week for trying to steal nearly $1 million from the Baath Party’s secret stores of cash. Troops combing an exclusive Baghdad neighborhood searching for fugitive Iraqi officials found cottages full of heavy, metal boxes. Each box contained millions in uncirculated $100 bills, neatly tied in bundles of $100,000. Several soldiers allegedly pocketed a few bundles each. “You can understand how the greed took over,” one officer told the New York Post, “when just one wad of this cash can pay off your mortgage, send your kids to school.” The total amount of the cash, which U.S. officials believe was hidden away by fleeing Baath Party officials, is estimated at $700 million.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Murdoch's conservative son wins succession battle
Speed Read Lachlan Murdoch will get control over the media empire that includes Fox News and The Wall Street Journal following his father's death, while his siblings will receive payouts
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race