The US Department of Justice has charged a suspect, 38-year-old Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, with providing material support to Hamas, according to a statement from the department.
Sabassi, a resident of San Diego, was arrested on Wednesday, June 17, and faces charges including terrorism-related offences, sanctions evasion, wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements.
“As alleged in the complaint, the defendant exploited the barbaric acts of terror perpetrated on October 7, 2023, to attract donors to his fraudulent ‘humanitarian’ causes,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “He allegedly raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through this scheme, which he then funneled to Hamas to help finance that group’s terror and violence and to line his own pockets. As demonstrated by today’s charges, NSD will investigate and prosecute those who fund terrorism.”
According to prosecutors, Sabassi raised funds for Hamas through online donation platforms, including a front charity known as the “Arab Charity Foundation.”
“In his online fundraising campaigns, Sabassi claimed to be raising funds to provide humanitarian aid to people in Gaza; however, Sabassi was actually raising funds for Hamas. Sabassi and a co-conspirator joked privately that they should name the fundraiser after Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades, before agreeing to use Sabassi’s Ikram. Sabassi worked with the Hamas fundraising organization Gaza Now and other co-conspirators to operate these online fundraisers and to send funds to Hamas,” the department added.
The Justice Department said that between December 2023 and early 2024, Sabassi collected approximately $600,000, of which about $116,000 was transferred to a Hamas member. He also allegedly attempted to convert $382,000 into cryptocurrency for transfer to the organisation.
Hamas, designated by the United States as a terrorist organisation, is prohibited from receiving material support under US law.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
