A 35-year-old man Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa from Virginia, USA, was convicted by a federal court on 12/13 for providing financial support to the terrorist organization ISIS using cryptocurrency. From 2019 to 2022, Chhipa raised funds through social media and converted the money into cryptocurrency to fund various illegal activities and military operations of ISIS, including assisting ISIS members in escaping from Syria.
From fundraising to cryptocurrency transactions, funding ISIS terrorist activities
According to the US federal court, Chhipa secretly raised funds through social media from October 2019 to October 2022, providing electronic payments and cash donations, even personally traveling hundreds of kilometers to collect cash, then converting the cash into cryptocurrency and transferring it to Turkey, which was then used to support ISIS members in Syria.
Chhipa’s main accomplice was a British-born ISIS member, who was responsible for raising funds to support female ISIS members in escaping, terrorist attacks, and military operations of ISIS warriors. Throughout the funding scheme, Chhipa transferred over $185,000 worth of cryptocurrency.
Multiple charges upheld, each with a maximum sentence of 20 years
The US federal court also ruled on 12/13 that Chhipa was charged with “conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization” and “providing material support,” with a total of five charges upheld, each with a maximum sentence of 20 years. Chhipa will be sentenced on May 5, 2025, with the actual sentence determined by the federal district court judge considering sentencing guidelines and relevant statutory factors.
(International counter-terrorism agency: Palestinian terrorist organization received 3,370 bitcoins in donations over 5 years)
Risk Warning
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