The Justice Department today announced the unsealing of a five-count complaint charging Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, 38, of San Diego, California, with terrorism, sanctions-evasion, wire fraud, money laundering. False statement charges in connection with his efforts to divert funds raised through purported charitable campaigns to Hamas and for personal use. Sabassi was arrested in San Diego yesterday and presented before U.S.
Key details of the case
Magistrate Judge Steve B. Chu in the Southern District of California. “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.
“He allegedly raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through this scheme. 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.”.
Meanwhile, “From within the United States, Reda Sabassi is alleged to have solicited and diverted funds to the known foreign terrorist organization, Hamas. Committed the brutal October 7, 2023, massacre” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York.
Enforcement actions and official statements
“Hamas promotes attacks against the U.S. and has murdered dozens of Americans through acts of terror. Our arrest of Reda Sabassi demonstrates our whole-of-government commitment to prosecute those who provide financial support to a malign terrorist regime that hates America.”. “The defendant allegedly claimed to be raising money for charity but was actually funding the terrorist organization Hamas and also lining his own pockets,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division.
As a result, “The FBI will use all our authorities to put a stop to those who seek to support the violent actions carried out by organizations like Hamas. Today’s announcement should serve as a stark reminder that the FBI and our partners on the Joint Terrorism Task Forces will remain vigilant in our effort to prevent terrorism as well as hold terrorists. Those who provide support to terrorist organizations, accountable for their actions.”. For complete details, refer to the official DOJ press release.
“As alleged, Reda Sabassi raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund the death and tragedy Hamas seeks to carry out,” said Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI New York Field Office. “Alongside our federal partners, the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force continues to aggressively eradicate fundraisers financing terrorist organizations.
Hold accountable those behind the campaign.”. According to the allegations contained in the complaint, Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyya, commonly known as Hamas, is a terrorist organization that was founded in 1987. Has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) by the United States since 1997. For related coverage, see Counterfeit coupon scheme caused $31.8 million in losses, seven sent to prison.
Specifically, from its inception, Hamas’s stated purpose has been to create an Islamic Palestinian state throughout Israel by eliminating the State of Israel through violent holy war. Jihad. Hamas also promotes attacks against the United States and its citizens.
Subsequently, over more than two decades, Hamas has murdered and injured dozens of Americans as part of its campaign of violence and terror. On Oct. 7, Hamas committed its most violent, large-scale terrorist attack to date (the “October 7 Hamas Massacres”) when Hamas sent more than 2,000 armed fighters into farms and towns in southern Israel. They carried out the massacres of over a thousand people and the kidnappings of more than 200 others. . For related coverage, see Davion Percy convicted in insurance fraud scheme that resulted in $17,585 payout.
Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi has publicly supported Hamas online and has raised money for Hamas using online donation platforms. For example, Sabassi created an hour-long propaganda video of the October 7 Hamas Massacres and then posted that video to at least two of his social media accounts, including a few months after the October 7 Hamas Massacres and again on the two-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks. . Since at least in or about 2022, Sabassi has used his social media accounts, crowdfunding websites.
In particular, his putative charity called Ikram — The Arab Charity Foundation Inc. (Ikram) to solicit donations from around the world, including from individuals in the United States and New York. 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.*** Between in or about December 2023 and in or about February 2024, Sabassi raised a total of approximately $600,000 through online fundraising campaigns, from which Sabassi sent approximately $116,000 to a Hamas member and attempted to convert approximately $382,000 of the cash he raised into cryptocurrency to send to Hamas through Gaza Now. Sabassi is charged with (i) conspiring to provide material support to Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization.
Investigation and prosecution details
Carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; (ii) conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; (iii) conspiring to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; (iv) conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and (v) false statements, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge. Attorney Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.