Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa, 35, from Springfield, Virginia, was convicted on December 13, 2024, for offering materials help to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), which has been designated a terrorist group by the United Nations and others.
The costs stemmed from his actions between October 2019 and October 2022, throughout which he raised funds to help feminine ISIS members in Syria.
Responsible of Financing ISIS Operations
In an official press launch, the US Division of Justice (DOJ) revealed that Chhipa’s efforts included financing the escape of girls from jail camps and supporting ISIS fighters. He additionally collected funds by way of numerous on-line social media accounts, receiving digital transfers, and bodily gathering cash by touring lengthy distances.
The authorities revealed that Chhipa then transformed the cash into cryptocurrency, which was despatched to Turkey and smuggled into Syria to be used by ISIS. Chhipa’s main confederate was a British-born ISIS member in Syria who performed a key function within the fund-raising efforts, together with for terrorist actions.
Over the course of the scheme, Chhipa despatched over $185,000 in cryptocurrency to help ISIS operations. The jury convicted him on one cost of conspiracy to supply materials help to a international terrorist group and 4 counts of offering such help.
Chhipa now faces a most sentence of 20 years in jail for every rely. A sentencing listening to is ready for Might 5, 2025, the place a federal district court docket choose will decide the sentence primarily based on US Sentencing Pointers and different authorized issues.
Crypto’s Function in Terrorist Fundraising
Many specialists have flagged that ISIS has been utilizing crypto for fundraising. TRM Labs’ report from final August revealed that pro-ISIS networks in nations reminiscent of Tajikistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have raised important funds utilizing crypto property like Tether (USDT) on the Tron community.
One such marketing campaign, which operated for over a 12 months, raised practically $2 million in USDT for ISIS associates in Afghanistan. TRM Labs additionally traced over $517,000 in 2022 despatched from an Indonesia-based platform to pro-ISIS accounts.
Nevertheless, additionally it is essential to notice that trade specialists reminiscent of Chainalysis have beforehand clarified misconceptions concerning using cryptocurrency in terrorism financing. Whereas entities like Hamas and Hezbollah use crypto for fundraising, these transactions symbolize a minor fraction of illicit crypto actions.
Chainalysis stresses that terrorism financing stays a small a part of general illicit crypto transactions, with conventional strategies reminiscent of monetary establishments and shell firms being the first sources of funding. The agency additionally identified that blockchain transparency makes it troublesome for terrorists to cover transactions, as seen when Hamas ceased accepting Bitcoin donations.
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