Key Takeaways
- The FBI seized more than $560,000 in cryptocurrency intended for Hamas.
- Agents captured domains and servers used for fundraising and recruitment.
- Investigators obtained information about thousands of potential donors.
FBI Takes Control of Hamas Fundraising Network
Federal investigators seized more than $560,000 in cryptocurrency and took control of domains and servers that Hamas allegedly used to raise money and recruit supporters. The Justice Department disclosed the operation on Sept. 1, describing a sustained effort against infrastructure controlled on behalf of the group’s military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades. The department stated:
“As part of the Department’s efforts, over $560,000 in cryptocurrency donations destined for Hamas were seized and its fundraising and recruitment communication platforms and websites were disrupted.”
The court-backed operation targeted an encrypted group chat that directed supporters to a fundraising website and circulated a rotating collection of cryptocurrency addresses. Investigators used information from several human sources to identify, trace, and seize the funds through seizures conducted on March 25, June 25, and Oct. 10, 2025. The three cryptocurrency seizures totaled approximately $560,000.
The latest disclosure expanded on the initial $200,000 cryptocurrency seizure announced in March 2025. That action targeted at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses connected to a collection network that had moved more than $1.5 million since October 2024. Authorities said the funds passed through exchanges, over-the-counter brokers, and accounts registered to Palestinian individuals living in Turkey and elsewhere.
Captured Infrastructure Opens a Window Into Donors
Control of the AlQassam.ps domains and associated servers allowed agents to intercept cryptocurrency sent through the captured fundraising network. Public blockchain assets are pseudonymous rather than anonymous, enabling investigators to follow transactions between addresses and combine those records with identifying information obtained from exchanges, online communications, human sources, and seized infrastructure.
American authorities have pursued several cryptocurrency networks accused of helping Hamas move money outside conventional financial channels. A $2 million civil forfeiture action announced in July 2025 targeted assets held through Tether and Binance accounts. Prosecutors linked the accounts to Buy Cash Money and Money Transfer Company, a Gaza-based operation accused of supporting Hamas financially.
Global Effort Targets Hamas Crypto Channels
The latest seizures follow coordinated international measures against financial facilitators accused of transferring money to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The Treasury Department sanctioned several Hamas-linked exchange networks in Gaza, their owners, and associates in January 2024, while the United Kingdom and Australia concurrently imposed sanctions on Hamas officials and facilitators. Treasury said Hamas has sought to use a range of financial transfer mechanisms, including cryptocurrency, to fund its activities.
Financial regulators have also urged banks and cryptocurrency businesses to watch for payment patterns potentially connected to Hamas fundraising. A Financial Crimes Enforcement Network alert issued in October 2023 identified red flag indicators involving fundraising campaigns, virtual currency, money services businesses, and charitable organizations that solicit donations without appearing to provide charitable services. Financial institutions were asked to report suspicious transactions potentially tied to the group.
Other governments have used exchange cooperation to interrupt similar fundraising channels. In October 2023, Israel Police froze cryptocurrency accounts at Binance that authorities alleged Hamas had used to collect donations through social networks. The Justice Department described how the FBI gathered information for future counterterrorism investigations:
“Using related sources and methods, the FBI also obtained information regarding thousands of individuals who contacted Hamas online in an effort to donate or attempt to donate to the terrorist organization using cryptocurrency and other traditional means.”
