US Charges Hamas Member with Leading $2 Million Fundraising Network

The US Justice Department has charged Saleem Alzaq, a 45-year-old Hamas member and deputy battalion commander, with leading a fundraising network that collected over $1.7 million in donations. The money was allegedly presented as humanitarian aid but directed to Hamas.

According to the Treasury Department, the network collected more than $2 million from 2020 through 2026, with approximately $1.5 million collected after October 7, 2023. Cryptocurrency transfers were a key component of the alleged financial system, with hundreds of thousands of dollars sent in digital currency to Alzaq.

French authorities arrested several individuals involved in the network, including Faouzi Barika and Amel Oualid, who allegedly sent cryptocurrency to Alzaq through two France-based organizations. The US also arrested brothers Omar Adhami and Abdel Adhami of Louisiana for contributing approximately $94,000 and $11,000, respectively, to the network.

The charges include material-support, wire-fraud, and money-laundering conspiracies, with maximum statutory penalties of up to 20 years. The Treasury Department's sanctions action can block covered assets under US jurisdiction and restrict access to the US financial system.