Charity Scam FUNNELED Cash To Hamas

A man accused of turning a Gaza “charity” into a Hamas cash pipeline is exposing just how easily terror groups can exploit Western compassion and online fundraising.

Story Snapshot

Federal prosecutors say a San Diego man raised about $600,000 through “charity” appeals and tried to route most of it to Hamas and to himself.
Justice Department officials allege he used a U.S. nonprofit, social media, and crowdfunding sites to fool donors who thought they were helping civilians in Gaza.
The complaint claims he sent $116,000 to a Hamas member and tried to turn $382,000 into cryptocurrency for Hamas via a group called Gaza Now.
The case fits a wider pattern of “sham charities” that Treasury officials say have funneled millions of dollars a month to Hamas under humanitarian cover.

What Prosecutors Say Happened

Federal prosecutors in New York have unsealed a five-count complaint charging 38‑year‑old Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi of San Diego with terrorism, sanctions evasion, wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements.^[3] According to the Justice Department, he did not run a normal charity drive for food or medicine. They say he used emotional appeals about suffering in Gaza to raise money that was really meant for Hamas and for his own expenses.^[3]

The complaint says that between December 2023 and February 2024, Sabassi raised about $600,000 through online fundraising campaigns.^[3] Prosecutors allege he sent about $116,000 from that pot to a Hamas member and tried to convert another $382,000 into cryptocurrency so he could send it to Hamas through a group called Gaza Now.^[3] Officials say he used his nonprofit, Ikram – The Arab Charity Foundation, along with social media and crowdfunding sites to draw donors from across the United States and overseas.^[3]

How A “Charity” Becomes A Terror Pipeline

Justice Department officials say Sabassi’s public pitch focused on humanitarian aid, but behind the scenes he was working directly with Hamas supporters.^[3] The complaint says he had publicly praised Hamas online and used videos about the October 7, 2023, attacks to stir anger and win donations.^[1]^[3] Prosecutors say he coordinated with Gaza Now, which U.S. Treasury officials have already designated as tied to Hamas fundraising.^[3]^[8] According to the filing, the charity branding and crisis messaging were a cover, not the real mission.^[3]

Senior national security officials are blunt about what they believe this scheme did. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said Sabassi “exploited the barbaric acts of terror perpetrated on October 7, 2023, to attract donors” and then funneled money to Hamas and himself.^[1] The Federal Bureau of Investigation assistant director in New York said he “raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund the death and tragedy Hamas seeks to carry out.”^[3] These statements are allegations, not yet proven in court, but they show how seriously the Trump Justice Department is taking the case.^[3]

A Growing Pattern Of Sham “Humanitarian” Fronts

This case is not happening in a vacuum. The Treasury Department’s sanctions office has been warning that Hamas fundraising often hides behind “sham charities” that claim to serve humanitarian needs while quietly backing the group’s military wing.^[8] In early 2024, Treasury officials said Hamas may have been pulling in as much as $10 million a month through such donation networks.^[8] They recently sanctioned several overseas charities and individuals for allegedly using this model to route millions of dollars to Hamas.^[6]^[8]

Department of Justice
Press Release
San Diego Resident Charged with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Hamas
Wednesday, June 17, 2026

The Justice Department today announced the unsealing of a five-count complaint charging Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, 38, of San Diego,…

— Hiro's gallery (@HiroGallery) June 18, 2026

Past cases show how long these networks can run before they are shut down. Treasury officials say an Italy‑based Hamas member used a charity called the Charity Association of Solidarity with the Palestinian People to send at least $4 million to Hamas over about ten years while claiming to do humanitarian work.^[8]^[10] In the United States, the Holy Land Foundation case ended with convictions after jurors found the group had sent over $12 million to Hamas‑linked committees while presenting itself as a relief charity.^[7] Sabassi’s alleged operation fits the same pattern of mixing real need with hidden terror funding.^[3]^[8]

What It Means For American Donors And Security

For everyday Americans who want to help people in war zones, this case is a harsh warning. The Justice Department says donors thought they were giving to desperate families in Gaza, but much of the money allegedly went to a U.S.‑designated terror group and to rent and credit card bills.^[2]^[3] That means generous citizens may have been unknowingly breaking sanctions laws and helping the same extremists who chant for the destruction of Israel and the United States.^[2]^[3]

Conservatives have long pushed for strict enforcement of terror funding laws and for close oversight of nonprofits that operate in high‑risk regions. This case shows why. It also raises a hard question: how many other “Gaza emergency” or “resistance” fundraisers that went viral after October 7 are now on the radar of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Treasury investigators?^[6]^[8] For now, Sabassi is charged and presumed innocent unless proven guilty, but the alleged scheme underscores the need for strong borders, tough terror financing controls, and real transparency when any group asks Americans for money in the name of charity.^[3]