The US Department of Justice announced that the FBI has seized over $560,000 in cryptocurrency donations originally destined for the military wing of Hamas, and took control of the website domains and communication platforms used for fundraising and recruitment, while also obtaining information on thousands of would-be donors.
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said, "Hamas's network is not secure, and its cryptocurrency infrastructure has vulnerabilities. The US will continue to strike at the organization's war-fighting capabilities." FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman stated, "We will continue to use our authorities to intercept illicit funds and prevent terrorist organizations from using digital networks to finance their operations."
According to an FBI affidavit, Hamas has been testing virtual currency fundraising through channels like Telegram since 2019.