French and American Authorities Break Up Network Financing Hamas

French and American law enforcement agencies have dismantled an international network of non-profit organizations that exploited humanitarian appeals to transfer over 1 million dollars to Hamas using cryptocurrencies. As part of the investigation, charges have been brought against five individuals, including Faouzi Barik, Ameli Oualid, and Nordine Barik, accusing them of financing terrorism, money laundering, and breach of trust. Arrests took place in Saint-Étienne and Saint-André-de-Cubzac. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on two associations in France: Association Baraka and Ensemble C Mieux. The operation lasted from 2020 to 2026, and the network raised over 2 million dollars, including 1.5 million after October 7, 2023, of which hundreds of thousands were converted into cryptocurrencies. Approximately 1.1 million dollars went to Hamas. Initially, fundraising was conducted through PayPal, and later through Western Union, using various identities to bypass transfer limits. In December 2021, cryptocurrencies began to be used. Authorities also noted that terrorists were using NFT tokens to finance activities and launder money.

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