A jury in the United States has found a 35-year-old man identified as Mohammed Azharuddin Chippa guilty of financing the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) using cryptocurrency. The United States Department of Justice accused the Virginia-based man of making cryptocurrency donations to the terrorist group.
More so, the Jury convicted Chippa on five counts, with one count stating that the convict conspired to offer material support or resources for a foreign terrorist group. Four counts of offering and attempting to deliver material support or resources to a designated terrorist organization.
With another hearing scheduled for May 5, 2025, Chippa could receive a jail term of up to 100 years if sentenced to the maximum on the five counts. It is worth mentioning that Chippa’s recent conviction surfaced shortly after the DOJ, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Security and Exchange Commission cracked down on illegal cryptocurrency firms in the US.
Further, the federal agencies charged three market makers in the digital assets sector and their associates with fraud and market manipulation. Some of the affected firms include Gotbit Consulting, ZM Quant Investment, and CLS Global.
How the Virginia Man Funded ISIS Through a British-Born Co-Conspirator in Syria
As revealed, between October 2019 and October 2022, the convict sent up to $185,000 worth of digital assets to ISIS members in Syria. Evidence pointed out how Chippa transferred crypto to a female member of the terrorist group.
Furthermore, court records established that ISIS benefitted from the funds and carried out various operations with it. Accordingly, the group used the fund to support the escape of some female ISIS associates from prison and aid other fighters in carrying out their deadly assaults.
In its report, the DOJ explained how the criminal initiated various fundraising efforts using different social media accounts. In return, Chippa received funds through electronic transfers and cash before converting them to digital assets.
Consequently, the convict would then send the cryptocurrency to Turkey before moving it to ISIS fighters in Syria. Meanwhile, Chippa didn’t operate in isolation, as he worked with a British-born ISIS member living in Syria.
Court records disclosed that the British-born ISIS member didn’t only assist Chippa as a co-conspirator but played other roles like fundraising campaigns to assist detained ISIS members to flee from prison and organize attacks.
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