Justice Department accuses San Diego man of channeling donations to Hamas fighters

The suspect has openly backed the militant group for years and is said to have moved around 600000 dollars via sham aid groups and crypto moves straight to its operatives.

A man living in San Diego was taken into custody on charges that he collected hundreds of thousands of dollars for Hamas by running appeals that looked like drives for humanitarian help in Gaza, the Justice Department said on Wednesday.

Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, 38, faces a five-count complaint that lists terrorism support, sanctions violations, wire fraud, money laundering, and false statements, officials reported.

He was arrested on Tuesday and stood before Magistrate Judge Steve B. Chu in the Southern District of California. Conviction on any of the four main counts could bring up to 20 years behind bars.

Prosecutors say Sabassi ran social media pages, crowdfunding sites, and a group called Ikram - The Arab Charity Foundation Inc. The platforms asked for gifts from donors worldwide, including Americans, by promising the cash would aid people in Gaza. In reality, the money went to Hamas, according to the complaint.

Records show that from December 2023 to February 2024 he collected about 600000 dollars. Of that total, he allegedly sent roughly 116000 dollars to a Hamas operative and tried to turn another 382000 dollars into cryptocurrency for transfer through Gaza Now, a group tied to Hamas.

Sabassi voiced open support for Hamas on social platforms

Agents say Sabassi posted messages backing Hamas online. He is accused of making a one-hour video that praised the October 7, 2023 attacks and sharing it on accounts he controlled near the second anniversary of the events.

The complaint adds that in messages with a partner he joked about naming one drive after the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, before settling on the name of his own charity.

Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg stated that Sabassi took advantage of the October 7 attacks to attract donors to false humanitarian appeals.

"He allegedly raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through this scheme, which he then funneled to Hamas to help finance that group’s terror and violence and to line his own pockets," Eisenberg said.

US Attorney notes Hamas has backed strikes on America and killed US citizens

US Attorney Jay Clayton said Hamas has encouraged attacks on the United States and has killed dozens of Americans in terror acts.

"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," Clayton said.

The FBI also highlighted the case.

"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 Donald Holstead, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division.

The Justice Department stressed that the charges are only accusations and that Sabassi is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.