A handwritten directive from the dictator granted Qusay the authority to withdraw any amount of money he desired from the bank.
Three large tractor-trailers were used to transport an astounding $900 million in U.S. currency—all in $100 bills—along with additional tens of millions in euros.
Within just two hours, the bank was completely emptied of its funds, with employees too frightened to intervene.
It is estimated that the cash seized by Qusay constituted roughly a quarter of Iraq’s entire cash reserves.
However, Qusay, along with his brother Uday, was killed in a confrontation with U.S. paratroopers in July of that year.
Despite orchestrating this massive heist, Qusay was often viewed as the more dependable son of the dictator.
Qusay was viewed as the heir apparent and was being groomed as his replacement by his father.
He was viewed as quiet and calculating, in contrast to Uday who was seen as erratic and sadistic.
Much of the cash has since been recovered but an estimated US$132 million was not found.
It is feared much of it went towards financing terrorism.
The biggest cash theft of all time also took place in Iraq, but the details remain scant.
What is known is that $6 billion sent from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to Iraq later vanished without a trace.
The money was seized wealth being returned to Iraq following the ousting of Hussein.
But after the cash was flown into the country, it quickly became unaccounted for.
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