A 35-year-old man from Virginia, USA, named Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa, was found guilty by a U.S. federal court on 12/13 for using cryptocurrency to provide financial support to the terrorist organization ISIS. From 2019 to 2022, Chhipa raised funds through social media and converted the funds into cryptocurrency to finance various illegal activities and military operations of ISIS, including assisting ISIS members in escaping from Syria.
From fundraising to cryptocurrency trading, funding ISIS's terrorist jihad operations.
According to the U.S. federal court, from October 2019 to October 2022, Chhipa covertly raised funds through social media and provided electronic payments and cash donations, even personally traveling hundreds of kilometers to collect cash, which was then converted into cryptocurrency and transferred to Turkey, subsequently funding ISIS members in Syria.
Chhipa's main accomplice was a UK-born ISIS member responsible for raising funds to support female ISIS members' escape, terrorist attacks, and military operations of ISIS fighters. Throughout the funding scheme, Chhipa transferred over $185,000 worth of cryptocurrency.
Multiple counts were found guilty, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years.
The U.S. federal court also ruled on 12/13 that Chhipa was charged with 'conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization' and 'providing material assistance', with a total of five counts found guilty, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years. Chhipa is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5, 2025, with the actual sentence to be determined by the federal district court judge considering sentencing guidelines and relevant statutory factors.
(International anti-terrorism agency: Palestinian terrorist organizations received 3,370 bitcoins in donations over 5 years)
This article, 'American man uses cryptocurrency to fund terrorist organization ISIS with over $180,000, faces over 20 years in prison', first appeared in Chain News ABMedia.
