According to the DOJ, they grabbed control of one wallet holding about $89,900, plus three other accounts stuffed with a total of $111,500 worth of digital assets. These wallets, officials claim, had already been used to move more than $1.5 million in crypto tied to Hamas activity since October 2024.
JUST IN: 🇺🇸 U.S. Justice Department has intercepted $200,000 in crypto linked to terrorist organization 'Hamas'
The funds were traced back to digital wallets used in laundering over $1.5 million through platforms like Tornado Cash pic.twitter.com/5qdx7SKLcb
“We’ll hunt down every cent, in every form, wherever it’s hiding,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. in a press release that dropped Thursday.
Crypto and Conflict—Still Colliding
For over a decade now, militant groups and cybercriminals have leaned on crypto to sidestep traditional finance and slip past international enforcement. Privacy-focused blockchains, encrypted comms, global reach—it’s not hard to see why.
But authorities aren’t just watching anymore. They’re clamping down—hard. And it’s clearly making life a lot harder for groups trying to fund operations in the shadows.
Group Chats, Encrypted Apps, and Wallets Everywhere
The DOJ says the latest crypto trail started in a group chat, where Hamas supporters allegedly shared donation instructions using an encrypted app. From there, at least 17 wallets were used to collect funds. Over-the-counter brokers and unnamed crypto exchanges reportedly helped move the money around.
They didn’t name the exchanges. No big shocker there.
The FBI’s Albuquerque field office helped with the investigation. Yeah—New Mexico’s finest, getting it done in cyberspace.
“Seizing crypto like this? Just one of many tools in our counterterrorism playbook,” said David J. Scott, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division.
Not Just a U.S. Effort
It’s not just the DOJ chasing this stuff down. Israeli counter-terror authorities, between 2021 and 2023, reportedly seized dozens of crypto accounts suspected of funding Hamas—and even a couple tied to ISIS, according to Reuters.
Point is, the crackdown isn’t slowing down.
Disclaimer: BlockNews provides independent reporting on crypto, blockchain, and digital finance. All content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Readers should do their own research before making investment decisions. Some articles may use AI tools to assist in drafting, but every piece is reviewed and edited by our editorial team of experienced crypto writers and analysts before publication.
Michael is a BSBA Management graduate from Mindanao State University and has been a professional content writer since 2019. He began exploring cryptocurrency in 2021 and has since made blockchain and digital assets his primary focus. For nearly four years, Michael has contributed research and editorial content at Aiur Labs and BlockNews, producing clear and accessible coverage of market trends, trading strategies, and project developments. He is transparent about his personal holdings in Bitcoin, TRON, and select meme tokens, combining writing expertise with hands-on market experience to deliver trustworthy insights to readers.
