The US Justice Department seized $201,400 in cryptocurrency and a network of digital wallets intended for the support of Hamas, the department’s Office of Public Affairs announced.
An encrypted group chat claiming association with Hamas allegedly provided donors with a shifting set of at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses, with funds reportedly sent to a wallet and laundered through a series of virtual currency exchanges and transactions by financiers and brokers, according to the Thursday press release.
It was alleged that over $1.5 million in cryptocurrency had been laundered for Hamas through this system since October.
An account valued at $89,900 and three more totaling about $111,500 were seized in the FBI Albuquerque field office-led investigation. The accounts were registered in the names of Palestinians living in Turkey and other locations.
FBI Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director David J. Scott said,…
