California man accused of raising $600K through fake Gaza charity campaigns, funneling money to Hamas

The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, 38, of San Diego, was charged in a five-count criminal complaint with conspiring to provide material support to Hamas, violating US sanctions laws, wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements.

According to the complaint, Sabassi publicly supported Hamas online and used social media, crowdfunding websites, and an organization called Ikram — The Arab Charity Foundation Inc. to solicit donations from individuals around the world, including donors in New York and elsewhere in the United States.

Federal prosecutors allege that while Sabassi claimed he was raising money to provide humanitarian assistance to people in Gaza, he was actually raising funds for Hamas, which has been designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization since 1997.

The complaint also alleges Sabassi created an hour-long propaganda video about Hamas's October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel and posted it on multiple social media accounts. Prosecutors say he continued sharing the video months after the attack and reposted it again on the second anniversary of the massacre.

Hamas carried out the October 7 attack by sending more than 2,000 armed terrorists into southern Israel, where they murdered over 1200 people and kidnapped 251 others in the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel's history.

"As alleged in the complaint, the defendant exploited the barbaric acts of terror perpetrated on October 7, 2023, to attract donors to his fraudulent 'humanitarian' causes," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said in a statement. "He allegedly raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through this scheme, which he then funneled to Hamas to help finance that group's terror and violence and to line his own pockets."

Investigators allege Sabassi worked with the Hamas-linked fundraising organization Gaza Now and other co-conspirators to operate online fundraising campaigns and transfer money to Hamas. According to the complaint, Sabassi and a co-conspirator privately joked that they should name one fundraiser after Hamas's military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, before deciding to use Sabassi's Ikram charity as the public-facing organization.

Between December 2023 and February 2024, Sabassi allegedly raised approximately $600,000 through online fundraising campaigns. Prosecutors say he transferred roughly $116,000 to a Hamas member and attempted to convert another $382,000 into cryptocurrency for transfer to Hamas through Gaza Now.

US Attorney Jay Clayton said the case demonstrates the government's commitment to prosecuting those who provide financial support to Hamas. "From within the United States, Reda Sabassi is alleged to have solicited and diverted funds to the known foreign terrorist organization, Hamas, which committed the brutal October 7, 2023, massacre," Clayton said.

FBI officials said the case highlights ongoing efforts to disrupt terror-financing networks operating within the United States. "The defendant allegedly claimed to be raising money for charity but was actually funding the terrorist organization Hamas and also lining his own pockets," said Donald Holstead, assistant director of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division.

Sabassi faces charges of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and making false statements. Four of the charges carry maximum penalties of 20 years in prison, while the false statements charge carries a maximum sentence of five years.