San Diego Man Charged With Raising Hundreds of Thousands for Hamas Under Cover of Aid

The U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday that it arrested 38-year-old Radha Mazen Rida Sabasi of San Diego, California, on suspicion of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Hamas through fundraising campaigns presented as humanitarian aid for Gaza residents. He was arrested Tuesday and brought before federal judge Steve Chu in San Diego. If convicted, he faces heavy prison terms, with four of the five counts carrying maximum penalties of up to 20 years each.

According to the indictment, Sabasi operated social media accounts, crowdfunding sites and a nonprofit called "Ikram - The Arab Charity Foundation" for years. Through them, prosecutors say, he solicited donors around the world, including Americans, by claiming the money was for humanitarian relief in Gaza, when in fact it was intended to help Hamas. Court filings say that between December 2023 and February 2024 he raised about $600,000.

Prosecutors allege Sabasi sent about $116,000 to a Hamas associate and tried to convert another $382,000 into cryptocurrency for transfer to the group through a fundraising entity called "Gaza Now," which is linked to Hamas. Investigators also say he publicly supported Hamas online, including by making an hour-long propaganda video about the October 7, 2023 attack and posting it to at least two of his own social media accounts, including around the second anniversary of the assault.

The indictment further says that in private conversations with a partner, the two joked about naming the donation campaign after Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades, but ultimately used the name of the charity, Ikram. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said Sabasi allegedly exploited the "barbaric" October 7 attacks to lure donors into fake humanitarian efforts, raising money that was passed to Hamas to fund terror and violence and to enrich himself. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and FBI counterterrorism official Donald Holstad also said the arrest underscores the government's commitment to prosecuting anyone who provides financial support to Hamas.