FBI Cracks Down on Hamas Crypto Fundraising

The US Department of Justice has announced that the FBI has seized $560,000 in cryptocurrency and taken control of domains and servers used by Hamas to raise money and recruit supporters. The operation was carried out by the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office, which collaborated with human sources to identify and seize domains and servers controlled by Hamas' military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades.

Hamas relies on cryptocurrency and online platforms for financing its terrorist operations, said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI's Cyber Division. The seized infrastructure and cryptocurrency addresses were originally controlled by the Al Qassam Brigades on behalf of Hamas.

The Department of Justice announced that these seizures will deprive Hamas of resources it relies on to recruit and radicalize individuals online and finance attacks like the one on October 7, 2023. The FBI will continue to use its authorities to intercept illicit funds and prevent terrorist organizations from exploiting digital networks to finance their operations.