Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa of Virginia has been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison for funding ISIS using cryptocurrency. He raised about $185,000 and transferred the funds to support ISIS fighters in Syria.
Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa, 35, of Springfield, Virginia, was sentenced to 364 months in prison for organizing a scheme to finance ISIS terrorists using cryptocurrency. According to court documents, he raised money through social media, exchanged it for cryptocurrency, and transferred it to the accounts of ISIS members in Syria, using Turkey as a transit country.
Most of the funds raised were intended to provide for female ISIS supporters who were in the al-Hol camps and to finance terrorist operations. Chhipa worked in collusion with an accomplice who was a member of ISIS and was located in Syria. The criminal activity lasted from October 2019 to October 2022.
During the trial, it was proven that Chhipa not only made cryptocurrency transfers, but also personally traveled long distances to receive funds. The US Department of Justice stated that his actions were aimed at facilitating terrorist attacks and financing militants.
The court sentence for Mohammed Chhipa demonstrates the determination of US law enforcement agencies in combating terrorist financing through cryptocurrency. The US government is calling for increased oversight of cryptocurrency transactions and the implementation of new cybersecurity measures.
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