San Diego Man Indicted for Raising $600,000 for Hamas Under Charity Pretense

A federal indictment was filed against Rida Mazen Rida Sabsi, a 38-year-old resident of San Diego, for transferring approximately $600,000 to the terrorist organization Hamas under the guise of charitable fundraising. Sabsi allegedly used a fake charity and crowdfunding platforms to collect funds purportedly for humanitarian aid to Gaza residents, but the money was diverted to finance terrorism and for personal use.

Between December 2023 and February 2024, Sabsi raised the funds through social media and online campaigns under the name 'Ikram.' About $116,000 was sent directly to a Hamas operative, while Sabsi also attempted to convert around $382,000 into cryptocurrency via the "Gaza Now" fundraising network, which is linked to Hamas and sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury.

In a related case, Katherine Beth Washburn was indicted in New York for attempting to provide material support to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Law enforcement officials warn that such activities undermine the credibility of legitimate charities. Sabsi's case recalls the "Holy Land Foundation" scandal from two decades ago, where foundation leaders were convicted of funneling $12.4 million to Hamas under similar pretenses.

Following these revelations, there are calls to tighten oversight of payment and crowdfunding platforms. Experts advocate for stringent verification of campaign organizers, beneficiaries, and linked digital wallets before approving fundraising activities to prevent misuse by terrorist groups.