Federal indictment unseals $1.7M Hamas fundraising network linked to Louisiana brothers

Key points

• Saleem Alzaq, a 45-year-old Hamas member, faces charges for laundering approximately $1.7 million, including $626,000 from U.S. donors, between 2020 and 2025.
• Abdel and Omar Adhami, arrested in Louisiana, are accused of using Snapchat and Instagram to solicit funds for 'the poor and orphans in Gaza' and funneling roughly $105,000 to Alzaq.
• Raed Yousef of Florida was also charged, allegedly contributing nearly $50,000 to the network; all three U.S. defendants face material support and wire fraud charges.
• The scheme was uncovered in November 2025 when an undercover NYPD officer contacted Alzaq, who directed the officer to the Adhami brothers to facilitate transfers.
• Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the DOJ will continue dismantling terrorist finance networks, while NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch credited intelligence analysts for exposing the international network.

Background

This case follows a broader pattern of federal actions against financial fraud and terrorism financing, such as the recent indictments of Marin County financiers in a $103 million Ponzi scheme and Andrew Tate in Romania for trafficking and money laundering. It also intersects with ongoing scrutiny of media control in Gaza, where journalists have reported coercive environments that may influence how humanitarian narratives are constructed online.

How outlets are covering it

NBC News and CBS News emphasize the scale of the fundraising, noting the $1.7 million total and the specific role of the Adhami brothers in Louisiana. The New York Post highlights the NYPD's undercover operation, detailing how Alzaq’s communication with an officer led to the brothers' arrest. CBS News provides additional detail on the charges against Raed Yousef in Florida and the specific coded language, such as 'bread,' used to avoid detection. All outlets agree on the core facts but differ in emphasis: NBC focuses on the indictment details, CBS on the broader conspiracy including French co-conspirators, and the Post on the investigative breakthrough.

Why it matters

The case demonstrates how social media platforms are exploited for terrorist financing and highlights the effectiveness of cross-border counterterrorism cooperation between the NYPD and federal prosecutors. It also underscores the risks of online donations to unverified humanitarian causes, potentially affecting donor behavior and platform regulation.

What to watch

The Adhami brothers and Raed Yousef are detained pending a detention hearing and have not entered a plea. Saleem Alzaq remains in Gaza and has not been arrested. The case will proceed through federal courts, with potential extradition efforts for Alzaq and further charges against other co-conspirators in France.