Israeli-Moldovan Oligarch's Fintech Firm Accused of Funding Hamas, Evading Sanctions
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Fintech firm A7, founded by Israeli-Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor, is accused by the U.S. of circumventing sanctions on Russia and funding Hamas and Iran's Revolutionary Guards. An ICIJ investigation revealed the company allegedly moved $14 billion out of Russia between November 2024 and July 2025 using a complex cash-collection and shell-company network. The U.S. sanctioned A7 in October, citing its links to illicit finance. Shor, who fled Moldova after a conviction, has reportedly met with Russian President Putin and operates from Russia.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Fintech firm A7, founded by Ilan Shor, is accused of evading Russian sanctions and funding Hamas.
- The U.S. designated A7 as a "significant transnational criminal organization" in October.
- A7 allegedly transferred $14 billion out of Russia between November 2024 and July 2025.
- The company reportedly uses a network of intermediaries and shell companies to move funds.
- Oligarch Ilan Shor was convicted in Moldova for embezzlement and fled to Israel.
- Shor has reportedly met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and operates from Russia.
A fintech company named A7, established in 2024 by Israeli-Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor, is reportedly serving as a key channel for circumventing international sanctions against Russia. The U.S. alleges that the company also finances Iran's Revolutionary Guards and Hamas. A new investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has revealed the scope of A7's operations and methods, leading the U.S. to designate it as a "significant transnational criminal organization."
Shor, who owns 51% of A7 with the remaining stake held by Russia's PSB Bank (also under sanctions), founded the company with the stated goal of facilitating cross-border payments for Russian businesses. Between November 2024 and July 2025 alone, the company allegedly transferred approximately $14 billion out of Russia.
The investigation describes a method operating through Moscow's "Sadovod" market, Russia's largest trade complex. Intermediaries in the market collect cash from Russian business owners, package it, and deliver it to A7's cash center. From there, the money is deposited into PSB Bank and transferred to foreign recipients, often Chinese suppliers, via shell companies outside Russia, obscuring the money's origin from banks in China and Hong Kong.
In October, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed severe sanctions on A7, stating its financial network facilitated transactions for Iran's Central Bank, the Revolutionary Guards, and their proxies, including Hamas. The U.S. also claims the network enabled crypto-related transactions by North Korea and was linked to Iran's digital asset exchange, Nobitex.
According to reports from Ukraine, Shor met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September, informing him that A7's platform had processed over 7.5 trillion rubles in ten months, handling thousands of transactions daily. Shor, 39, born in Israel to Moldovan immigrants, inherited a duty-free store chain and became a businessman and politician in Moldova. He was convicted in Moldova in 2017 for embezzling $1 billion and sentenced to seven years, fleeing to Israel. His sentence was increased to 15 years in absentia in 2023. Shor has since operated from Russia, reportedly receiving Kremlin protection and publicly supporting Putin.
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