Inspection uncovers financial violations at insurance branches in Aleppo

Aleppo, Aug. 8 (SANA) The Central Authority for Supervision and Inspection (CASI) said Saturday that a joint inspection campaign at branches of the Public Institution for Insurance and Pensions and the Public Institution for Social Insurance in Aleppo uncovered financial and administrative violations involving contracts worth more than 3 trillion old Syrian pounds (≈ $246 million), with preliminary estimated losses of over 90 billion Syrian pounds (≈ $7.38) in state revenues.
 
According to the authority, the inspection found irregularities in pension and insurance transactions, including the use of forged pension documents to obtain payments for people who were not entitled to them.
 
The inspection also found that required insurance fees and contributions had not been collected over several years, while the values of a number of contracts had allegedly been manipulated to reduce the insurance contributions owed to the state.
 
Inspectors also found that hundreds of workers at industrial facilities had not been registered with the Social Insurance Institution as required by law. Some pension payments had also been issued on the basis of forged documents or to ineligible beneficiaries.
 
The authority said legal proceedings had been initiated against those suspected of involvement. Several officials had been referred to the judiciary for further investigation, while measures had also been taken against employees and officials responsible for departments related to pensions, contracts and financial affairs.
 
The inspection and investigation are continuing, with authorities expanding the review to previous years to identify additional violations and determine responsibility.
 
The authority stressed that efforts to combat corruption, protect public funds, and strengthen transparency and accountability would continue, emphasizing that those found responsible would face legal consequences.
 
The case follows an announcement last month by Head of the Public Institution for Social Insurance Hassan Khatib that seven employees at branches in several Syrian provinces had been suspended from their duties over their involvement in bribery and embezzlement cases.

F.J./M.F