FBI seizes $560,000 in Hamas crypto fundraiser network
The FBI seized more than $560,000 in cryptocurrency donations intended for Hamas and shut down online fundraising and recruitment platforms used by the group's military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on September 1, 2026, disrupting a years-long digital fundraiser network. Court-authorized seizures led by the FBI's Albuquerque Field Office mark one of the most significant U.S. strikes against terrorist financing routed through crypto and the open web.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. authorities confiscated over $560,000 in crypto meant for Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades.
- The FBI's Albuquerque office seized domains, servers, and the main site AlQassam.ps.
- Hamas used cryptocurrency and online platforms to fundraise outside the formal financial system.
- Officials vowed continued action against terror groups exploiting digital networks.
Why did the FBI move against Hamas's online fundraiser?
Hamas is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro said the group has been raising funds for terrorist operations and recruiting supporters online. "A message to Hamas: We will stop your fundraising for terror," Pirro said. "Your networks are not secure, your crypto is vulnerable, and we will not stop until your ability to wage war is defeated."
Assistant Attorney-General for National Security John A. Eisenberg tied the operation to broader counterterrorism goals. "These seizures deprive Hamas of resources it relies on to recruit and radicalize individuals online and finance barbaric attacks like the one on October 7, 2023," he said.
How did the Albuquerque FBI office disrupt the network?
The FBI's Albuquerque Field Office led the investigation into sources of funding for Hamas, working with human sources to identify and seize domains and servers the Al-Qassam Brigades controlled. That included its main website, AlQassam.ps.
Court-authorized seizures allowed investigators to take control of infrastructure Hamas originally operated on behalf of its military wing. By capturing those domains and servers, the FBI intercepted cryptocurrency donations flowing through the fundraiser channels and dismantled communication platforms used for recruitment.
Why does crypto matter in terror financing cases?
Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI's Cyber Division said Hamas relies on cryptocurrency and online platforms to solicit funds from donors around the world and move that money outside the formal financial system. He pledged that the FBI will continue using its authority to intercept illicit funds and prevent terrorist organizations from exploiting digital networks.
The case highlights how law enforcement is adapting as militants turn to borderless digital assets. For more on how technology is reshaping security and finance, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.
Eisenberg promised to "continue to tighten the vise on Hamas's capacity for terror by infiltrating its online networks, confiscating its cryptocurrency, and shutting down its websites." Full details are in the Jerusalem Post report on the Justice Department announcement.