The Iraqi Government has continued its campaign to have BNP Paribas made responsible for its role in corruption in the scandal - ridden United Nations ' Oil - for - Food programme , following their defeat in the courts in June this year . The Republic of Iraq filed a lawsuit in state court in Manhattan against the French bank, alleging breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. The programme had been established with the aim to help Iraqis deal with the consequences of an oil embargo first imposed after Iraq 's 1990 invasion of its neighbour , Kuwait , and which remained in place for more than a decade until the US - led invasion of Iraq in 2003 ; throughout the programme 's lifespan there were allegations of widespread corruption and abuse of the system .
The Iraqi Government has continued its campaign to have BNP Paribas made responsible for its role in corruption in the scandal - ridden United Nations ' Oil - for - Food programme , following their defeat in the courts in June this year . The programme had been established with the aim to help Iraqis deal with the consequences of an oil embargo first imposed after Iraq 's 1990 invasion of its neighbour , Kuwait , and which remained in place for more than a decade until the US - led invasion of Iraq in 2003 ; throughout the programme 's lifespan there were allegations of widespread corruption and abuse of the system .