He operated the network from October 2019 through October 2022. The money he collected was wired online and in person, then converted into crypto and forwarded to handlers in Turkey.
He even drew the eye of Interpol. Authorities notified him on a Blue Notice after he attempted to cross from Mexico to Egypt. He was convicted by a jury in December 2024 on one count of conspiracy and four charges of making material support to a listed terrorist organization.
The Chhipa case is not an isolated incident. On March 27, the Justice Department seized approximately $200,000 in crypto associated with wallets operated by Hamas. According to DOJ reports, those wallets had laundered over $1.5 million since October 2024.
The United Nations’ Counter‑Terrorism Committee cautioned that, left unchecked, terrorists may shift from cash and bullets to all-digital funding. Officials are calling for tighter anti‑money‑laundering regulations and greater collaboration between governments and crypto companies.
In sentencing Chhipa to a long term, US judges are setting a boundary. They’re stating that crypto won’t be used differently from money when it assists terror groups. The case is highlighting an increasing view: if you fund terror, face time behind bars—regardless of how you transfer the money.
Featured image from The Atlantic, chart from TradingView
