Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment alleging a $1.7 million fundraising scheme funneled money to Hamas, including $626,000 from U.S. donors, under the pretense of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.
Two U.S. brothers and a Gaza-based Hamas member were charged in the case, which spans from 2020 to 2025. The indictment names Saleem Alzaq, a 45-year-old Gaza resident accused of operating the campaign, and Abdel Adhami and Omar Adhami, brothers from Louisiana charged with material support and wire fraud. Alzaq remains at large, while the Adhami brothers were arrested last month and are detained pending a hearing.
Key Allegations and Charges
Prosecutors allege the scheme operated from January 2020 to December 2025, with donors led to believe their contributions would provide food and winter supplies to Gazans. Instead, funds were allegedly diverted to Hamas. The indictment states Alzaq has been a Hamas member since at least 2017 and posted propaganda celebrating the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The Adhami brothers allegedly solicited donations via Snapchat, Instagram, and Telegram, directing followers to contribute through PayPal accounts linked to Alzaq. From November 2023 to June 2025, Abdel Adhami sent $35,000 to one PayPal account and $46,600 to another, according to court records. Prosecutors further allege Alzaq launched a new campaign on October 7, 2023, claiming to raise funds for Gazans injured that day, which remained open until October 12.
Legal Consequences and Case Details
Alzaq faces four federal charges, including conspiring to provide material support to Hamas, violating sanctions, money laundering, and defrauding the U.S. Each of the first three charges carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence, while the defrauding charge carries up to five years. The Adhami brothers face similar charges, including material support to a foreign terrorist organization, wire fraud, and money laundering.
The indictment was unsealed in New York, where prosecutors allege the scheme involved co-conspirators in France who helped collect and transfer funds. The case highlights ongoing efforts by U.S. authorities to disrupt financial networks supporting designated terrorist organizations.
Background and Context
The allegations come nearly three years after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which triggered a war in Gaza. The indictment suggests the fundraising operation continued even after the attack, with some campaigns explicitly tied to the conflict. Prosecutors allege the funds were used to support Hamas’s activities, though the specific allocation of the $1.7 million remains unclear in the charging documents.
The case underscores the challenges of tracking and disrupting financial flows to militant groups, particularly when funds are raised under humanitarian pretenses. U.S. officials have long emphasized the importance of cutting off financial support to terrorist organizations to prevent attacks and destabilization in the region.