FBI Seizes $560,000 in Crypto Bound for Hamas

The FBI intercepted roughly $560,000 in cryptocurrency headed to Hamas and seized control of multiple online donation sites, the agency announced. The action disrupted a network that solicited and routed digital assets to the Palestinian militant group.

Investigators traced transactions on public blockchain records to wallet addresses tied to fundraising campaigns linked to Hamas. Using legal authority and technical measures, the FBI gained control of the digital assets and took over websites and donation pages that directed donors to those wallets. The seizure covers both the cryptocurrency and the online infrastructure used to collect contributions.

Officials said the operation combined blockchain analytics, traditional investigative work and cooperation with private companies that host or register web and payment services. Tracing public ledgers allowed agents to follow funds from donor-facing platforms through intermediary addresses to wallets identified as controlled by the group.

The FBI obtained court authorization to seize the assets and, when possible, worked with service providers to disable the online donation portals. Prosecutors reviewed the activity for violations of laws that prohibit providing material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations and pursued civil or criminal forfeiture to take legal custody of the recovered cryptocurrency.

Officials noted that multiple donation pages, some presented as humanitarian or charity campaigns, instructed contributors to transfer coins to specific wallet addresses. Patterns in transaction histories and wallet use linked the collections to a coordinated effort. The roughly $560,000 total reflects the funds identified and recovered through the legal process at the time of the announcement.

Law enforcement officials highlighted that many blockchains record transactions publicly, which can enable investigators to follow the flow of funds even when transfers cross borders. Cooperation with custodial services and domain registrars was used to interrupt the channels through which donations were solicited and accepted.

Federal agencies have increased scrutiny of online fundraising tied to extremist organizations. U.S. law designates Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization and makes providing material support to it a federal crime. Officials urged internet companies and payment providers to remain alert and encouraged donors to verify the legitimacy of charitable solicitations and to use established, vetted channels when contributing.