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Gazan 'sham charities' crowdfunding funneled cash to alleged terrorists, US probes show
🇵🇸 Palestine /Crime & Justice

Gazan 'sham charities' crowdfunding funneled cash to alleged terrorists, US probes show

From Times of Israel · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • US federal investigators are examining humanitarian crowdfunding campaigns, including one from Gaza, as potential conduits for terror financing.
  • These probes target individuals accused of leading terrorist squads or sending funds to designated terror groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
  • The investigations highlight the risks of abuse on largely unregulated crowdfunding platforms, where sham charities may funnel donations to extremist organizations.

US federal investigators are scrutinizing humanitarian crowdfunding campaigns, including one initiated by a woman from Gaza seeking donations to reunite her family, as part of a broader probe into alleged terror financing. The campaign, created by Nieama al-Ghazzawi, sought funds for travel and visa fees after her home and husband's business were destroyed in Gaza, with the appeal circulating widely on pro-Palestinian social media.

Rebuilding our lives: a journey from loss to hope

— Nieama al-GhazzawiThe title of her crowdfunding campaign seeking donations to reunite her family.

Investigators are examining al-Ghazzawi's appeal as part of a case against Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi, who is accused of leading a terrorist squad into Israel during the October 7 Hamas attack before allegedly moving to the US. This incident is one of three recent federal terrorism cases in the US that are investigating humanitarian crowdfunding appeals, exposing potential abuses on largely unregulated financial platforms and the intersection of terror financing, social media, and cryptocurrency.

Beyond the al-Muhtadi investigation, a second case involves a New York-based activist charged with sending funds to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group. A third investigation centers on a California man accused of using sham charities to raise funds for Hamas. These cases echo long-standing accusations by Israel and its supporters that some international humanitarian groups cooperate with Hamas.

Your assistance means a lot to us. It will bring us back together.

— Nieama al-GhazzawiHer plea to potential donors on the crowdfunding platform.

The article notes that while major NGOs face scrutiny, crowdfunding platforms offer a more decentralized way for individuals to collect donations. Platforms like GoFundMe, which has facilitated billions in donations for various causes, are now under scrutiny for potential abuse. An FBI agent investigating one of the cases stated that Hamas, like other groups, raises funds through various channels, including the diversion of humanitarian aid through "sham charities" designed to shield terror groups from law enforcement.

sham charities

— FBI agentDescribing how groups like Hamas allegedly divert humanitarian aid.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Times of Israel in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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