Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa, a Virginia resident, has been sentenced to more than 30 years in federal prison for sending over $185,000 in cryptocurrency to ISIS members in Syria, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Chhipa used social media and encrypted communication apps from 2019 to 2022 to collect funds, then converted them into crypto and routed the money to Syria via Turkey. Much of these funds supported female ISIS members in detention camps, aiding planned prison breaks and tactical operations.
Chhipa was convicted in December 2024 on multiple felony counts, including providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The DOJ described Chhipa as a key financial facilitator whose activities strengthened ISIS’s operational capabilities. His primary co-conspirator remains at large in Syria.
This conviction is part of a wider crackdown by U.S. authorities on the use of cryptocurrency for terrorist financing. Recent operations have also targeted digital wallets linked to other militant groups such as Hamas and Al-Qaeda, resulting in sizable crypto seizures and the dismantling of illicit networks. The DOJ and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) have increased enforcement actions, highlighting the persistent adaptation of terrorist networks to new digital technologies and the importance of cutting off financial lifelines.