Thomas Brack accused of conflict of interest in Iraq-Syria oil project

Thomas Brack, the U.S. Special Envoy to Syria and Iraq, is facing allegations of using his diplomatic influence to benefit a company with which he has financial ties. According to a British media investigation, Brack pressured Iraqi and Syrian officials to include TI Capital, a firm led by businessman Ziad Ghandour, in a strategic project to rehabilitate the Kirkuk-Banias oil pipeline.

Financial disclosures from 2025 reveal that Brack holds rights to up to 20 percent of the profits from a real estate project near San Francisco managed by TI Capital. He also served as a paid consultant for the project in 2024. While Brack signed a professional ethics agreement in March 2025 to recuse himself from matters directly affecting his financial interests, investigators noted he did not seek a formal waiver regarding his relationship with the company during its involvement in the oil pipeline project.

Ethics experts suggest the situation raises serious concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest, even if direct financial gain from the specific oil project cannot be immediately proven.