U.S. Treasury Sanctions Individuals Linked to Hamas Fundraising via Cryptocurrency
- The U.S. Treasury sanctioned a member of Hamas’s military wing and two France-based individuals for raising over $2 million for the group.
- Faouzi Barika and Amel Oualid allegedly collected funds under the guise of humanitarian efforts from 2020 to 2026.
- The network reportedly transferred $1.5 million to Hamas after its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
- Treasury claims that hundreds of thousands of dollars were sent in cryptocurrency to Saleem Abdallah Saleem al-Zaq, a Hamas commander.
- The fundraising operation spanned six years and involved purported charitable donations.
This action highlights the ongoing concerns regarding the use of cryptocurrency in facilitating illegal activities, particularly funding terrorist organizations like Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007.
The U.S. Treasury’s crackdown reveals that over $2 million was raised through a complex network, emphasizing the significant role of crypto in these operations.
