California Man Raises $600K For Hamas – DOJ Report!

Department of Justice seal on American flag background.

One federal complaint turned a familiar charity-fraud story into something darker: prosecutors say the money trail reached Hamas.

Quick Take

Federal prosecutors allege that Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi raised about $604,000 through charity-style fundraisers.^[3]
They say he sent about $116,000 to a Hamas-linked recipient and tried to move about $382,000 through cryptocurrency.^[2]^[3]
The Justice Department says the money came from purported humanitarian campaigns tied to Gaza.^[1]^[3]
The case fits a long pattern of abuse in which fake charity appeals hide terror financing.^[15]^[19]

What Prosecutors Say Happened

The Justice Department says Sabassi, a San Diego resident, used social media, crowdfunding sites, and a putative charity to solicit donations.^[1]^[2] Prosecutors say he presented the appeals as aid for Gaza, but routed the money toward Hamas and personal use.^[1]^[3] The complaint also charges him with terrorism, sanctions evasion, wire fraud, money laundering, and false statements.^[2]^[3] Those are accusations, not convictions, but the allegations are specific and detailed.

According to the complaint, Sabassi raised at least approximately $604,000 between 2022 and March 2024.^[3] The filing says he sent about $116,000 to a Hamas-linked recipient and diverted other funds to pay rent and a personal credit card.^[3] Other reporting on the case says he allegedly tried to convert about $382,000 into cryptocurrency to move it through Gaza Now, a Hamas-linked fundraising channel.^[2]^[7] That mix of cash, crypto, and charity language is the heart of the case.

Why This Case Draws Attention

This is not just another fraud case with a political label attached. The complaint describes a classic pipeline: emotional appeals, a humanitarian cover, and money that prosecutors say ended up where donors were never told it would go.^[1]^[3] That is why such cases matter to readers who care about law, order, and basic honesty. If the allegations prove true, this was not misplaced generosity. It was a deliberate abuse of trust for a terrorist group.

The case also matters because the alleged amount is large enough to be serious, but small enough to look plausible to donors who never see the full picture. A few hundred dollars from many people can quickly become a six-figure stream. Prosecutors say that stream was then split between direct transfers, crypto conversion efforts, and personal spending.^[2]^[3] That is the kind of structure that can hide in plain sight while sounding like ordinary relief work.

The Bigger Pattern Behind the Headlines

Authorities have long warned that charity fraud is a favored cover when terror supporters want money without drawing immediate suspicion.^[15]^[22] Treasury and other agencies have repeatedly described sham charities and humanitarian fronts that claimed to help civilians while supporting Hamas instead.^[15]^[19] The Holy Land Foundation case remains the best-known U.S. example of a charity being used, in the government’s view, as a front for Hamas-linked financing.^[16] This new case fits that broader pattern closely.

The Palestinian genocidal Hamas terrorist fundraiser plot gets bigger by the hour. Hamas terrorist fundraiser Reda Sabassi was employed with Booz Allen Hamilton.

Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, 38, was charged with terrorism, sanctions evasion, wire fraud, money laundering and making… https://t.co/DL9yyD6eCL pic.twitter.com/5KIh4DFOQR

— Saint James Hartline (@JamesHartline) June 18, 2026

There is also a practical reason these cases keep returning. Terror-financing cases are hard to prove in public because intent matters, money moves through layers, and some evidence may stay sealed.^[18] That is why the complaint itself is only the beginning. The government now has to prove knowledge, control, and destination of funds in court. Until then, Sabassi is presumed innocent, even as the allegations paint a stark picture of fraud wrapped in humanitarian language.^[1]^[3]

What Happens Next

Sabassi faces a federal case that could carry heavy prison exposure if prosecutors win.^[2]^[8] The public record now centers on one question: were these donations truly collected for relief, or were they part of a scheme to funnel money to Hamas while covering personal expenses? The answer will depend on bank records, digital traces, witness testimony, and the strength of the defense. For now, the complaint gives the government a sharply defined story, and it is not a flattering one.