Originally published on: December 17, 2024
A shocking case has emerged from Springfield, Virginia, where Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa, a 35-year-old man, has been found guilty by a federal jury of using cryptocurrency to support the terrorist organization ISIS.
According to the United States Department of Justice, Chhipa transferred $185,000 worth of cryptocurrencies to ISIS operatives in Syria over a three-year period. The funds were used to aid female ISIS members in escaping prison camps and to support ISIS fighters on the ground.
Chhipa employed a variety of methods to raise money, including social media accounts, electronic bank transfers, and in-person cash collections. Once the funds were collected, they were converted into cryptocurrency and sent to Turkey, where they were smuggled to ISIS members in Syria.
His primary co-conspirator, a British-born ISIS member in Syria, was also involved in raising funds for similar purposes, such as funding prison breaks and facilitating terrorist activities.
Chhipa was convicted on several charges, including conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and providing resources to a designated terrorist organization. If given the maximum sentence on all counts, he could face up to 100 years behind bars.
Chhipa’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2025, where a judge will determine the length of his prison term based on federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
In a related case, the Department of Justice recently charged Maximiliano Pilipis, the operator of AurumXchange, a cryptocurrency exchange, with money laundering linked to the darknet marketplace Silk Road. The exchange allegedly processed numerous transactions from Silk Road accounts without the necessary licenses and regulatory compliance.
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