Reported by 1 source

The short version

  • The Treasury Department blocked assets linked to three individuals and two French charities accused of raising over $2 million for Hamas between 2020 and present.
  • Federal prosecutors indicted one man in New York and arrested three others in Louisiana and Florida, while French authorities detained three additional associates.
  • Officials allege the network utilized cryptocurrency channels and humanitarian appeals to disguise financial support for militant activities following the October 2023 attacks.

The United States government has imposed new sanctions on a network of individuals and organizations accused of channeling millions of dollars to Hamas, marking a significant escalation in federal efforts to disrupt terrorist financing. The Justice and Treasury Departments announced coordinated actions on Friday that include financial penalties against three specific people and two charities based in France, as well as criminal arrests across the United States and Europe. Officials described the operation as an extraordinary counter-terrorism initiative designed to dismantle what they characterize as a sophisticated, multi-year architecture for funding militant operations.

According to Treasury Department statements, the sanctioned entities allegedly moved more than $2 million to Hamas through deceptive charitable fronts and cryptocurrency channels. The financial activity spanned a six-year period beginning in 2020, with officials noting that approximately $1.5 million was raised after the deadly attacks on Israel in October 2023. The Treasury Department has ordered that all property belonging to those sanctioned within US jurisdiction be blocked and reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control, extending restrictions to entities owned by the individuals named.

News Journal

The financial penalties target Saleem Alzaq, who is accused of being part of Hamas’s military wing and based in Gaza, as well as Faouzi Barika and Amel Oualid, residents of France. The latter two are alleged to have run charities ostensibly designed to raise money for humanitarian purposes to aid Gazan civilians. The specific organizations sanctioned are Association Baraka and Ensemble C Mieux, which the government claims served as vehicles for collecting funds that ultimately supported Hamas rather than providing legitimate humanitarian relief.

Parallel to the financial sanctions, the Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging one man with conspiring to provide material support to Hamas. Alzaq, 45, faces charges related to operating an international fundraising network that collected donations from individuals around the world, including within the United States. Prosecutors allege he served as a battalion deputy in the group’s armed wing and worked in a propaganda office, posting organizational content on social media platforms to further its cause.

In the United States, federal agents arrested three men connected to the alleged conspiracy. Two of those detained, Omar Adhami and Abdel Adhami, reside in Covington, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The third arrest was made in Lutz, Florida, involving Raed Yousef. US Attorney David Courcelle for Louisiana’s eastern district stated that the Adhamis provided Alzaq with resources intended to fund Hamas operations. These individuals face serious federal charges, including conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The legal consequences for those arrested are severe, with potential prison sentences reaching up to 80 years if convicted on all counts. The Justice Department emphasized that the Adhamis and Yousef contributed tens of thousands of dollars to the network. Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a statement warning that anyone who finances or assists terrorist groups should expect to face federal prosecution, underscoring the administration’s commitment to holding financiers accountable.

International cooperation played a role in the broader disruption of the network, with three additional associates arrested in France as part of the same investigation. The FBI described the group’s activities as a conspiracy to funnel money to Hamas and fuel violent attacks. FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted the agency’s ongoing efforts to cut off funding to Hamas terrorists, referencing the horrific attack on Israel in October 2023 as a motivating factor for these intensified enforcement actions.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that terrorist organizations like Hamas rely on sophisticated financial facilitators and fraudulent schemes designed to exploit the public. He affirmed that the Treasury Department will continue to identify, isolate, and impose consequences on those who provide Hamas with the financial lifelines it needs to survive. The combined use of sanctions, indictments, and international arrests signals a comprehensive strategy to target both the operational leadership and the financial infrastructure supporting militant groups.

The case highlights the complex challenges of monitoring cross-border financial flows that blend legitimate humanitarian appeals with illicit support for designated terrorist organizations. By leveraging cryptocurrency channels and charitable fronts, the alleged network sought to obscure the ultimate destination of funds. The government’s response aims to deter similar activities by demonstrating the reach of US law enforcement and the severity of penalties for those involved in supporting terrorism.

As legal proceedings move forward, the focus remains on dismantling the financial networks that sustain militant operations. The sanctions and arrests represent a targeted effort to disrupt specific nodes within a larger ecosystem of support. Officials maintain that isolating these facilitators is critical to reducing the capacity of groups like Hamas to conduct violent attacks, reflecting a broader national security priority in the post-October 2023 landscape.

Sources behind this briefing

Go to the original reporting