Federal prosecutors have charged Saleem Alzaq, a 45-year-old Gaza resident alleged to be a Hamas member since 2017, with raising over $1.7 million for Hamas between January 2020 and December 2025, including at least $626,000 from U.S. donors. The indictment alleges Alzaq operated an international fundraising campaign under the guise of humanitarian aid, with co-conspirators in France and individuals in Louisiana and Florida contributing funds. Prosecutors claim undercover operations provided evidence that Alzaq knew donations were reaching Hamas, using coded language to describe transactions.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Saleem Alzaq, a 45-year-old alleged Hamas member from Gaza, was indicted by a federal grand jury in New York on charges related to funneling $1.7 million to Hamas under the guise of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza between January 2020 and December 2025. The indictment alleges that Alzaq and his co-conspirators raised funds internationally, including at least $626,000 from U.S.-based donors, by soliciting donations through social media campaigns purportedly aimed at providing food and winter necessities.
Two brothers from Louisiana, Abdel Adhami and Omar Adhami, were arrested last month for their roles in the scheme. Abdel is accused of sending over $83,000 to Hamas between 2023 and 2026 while Omar allegedly sent $6,000. The brothers are charged with material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to violate sanctions, money laundering, and defrauding the United States.
The NYPD assisted in bringing down the operation after an undercover detective contacted Alzaq on social media. Additionally, three individuals from France were arrested for helping collect and transfer funds through purported charitable campaigns. French authorities also sanctioned two charities allegedly tied to Hamas financing, while the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions against Saleem Alzaq and others involved in the network.
Written for “Hamas Fundraising Scheme Exposed” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Nearly three years after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, federal prosecutors allege that more than $1.7 million was funneled to the terrorist group Hamas, including hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors in the United States.
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million → allege → States
Saleem Alzaq, a 45-year-old Gaza man who prosecutors allege is a longtime Hamas member, was charged with helping operate the fundraising campaign claiming to provide humanitarian aid, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday.
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prosecutors → allege → indictment
Prosecutors allege Alzaq and his co-conspirators raised funds under the guise of providing food and winter necessities to Palestinians in Gaza between January 2020 and December 2025.
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Alzaq → allege → January
The campaigns raised more than $1.7 million, including at least $626,000 from U.S.-based donors, according to the indictment.
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campaigns → raise → indictment
Alzaq has been a Hamas member since at least 2017, prosecutors say, and has allegedly posted Hamas propaganda on social media, including posts celebrating the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
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prosecutors → say → attack
Prosecutors allege Alzaq operated an international fundraising campaign spanning the U.S. and France.
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Alzaq → allege → U.S.
Co-conspirators in France allegedly helped collect and transfer money, while two brothers from Louisiana allegedly contributed about $105,000 and a Florida man allegedly provided nearly $50,000 to the terror network.
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man → help → network
Alzaq was charged with one count each of conspiring to provide material support to Hamas, conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiring to commit money laundering and conspiring to defraud the United States.
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Alzaq → charge → States
The first three charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted, while the conspiracy to defraud charge carries a maximum of five years.
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charge → carry → years
He has not been arrested, and prosecutors say he's been in Gaza during the alleged crimes.
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he → arrest → crimes
The indictment alleges Alzaq launched a new fundraising campaign on Oct. 7, 2023, that claimed to raise money for Gazans injured that day.
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that → allege → Gazans
The campaign remained open until about Oct. 12 that year, prosecutors said.
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prosecutors → remain → Oct.
Investigators also conducted an undercover operation that prosecutors say provided evidence that Alzaq knew donations were reaching Hamas.
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donations → conduct → Hamas
In November 2025, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a New York-based Hamas supporter contacted Alzaq on Snapchat, according to prosecutors.
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officer → pose → prosecutors
Alzaq allegedly told the officer he had ways to receive money in New York and offered to connect the officer with contacts there.
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he → tell → contacts
The following month, Alzaq allegedly told the undercover officer that he worked with people like the officer who wanted to get money to "the Green," which prosecutors say was a reference to Hamas.
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prosecutors → tell → Hamas
He allegedly said he received money and gave it to "the Green," but that it would be difficult to provide proof because Hamas members avoided using identification.
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members → say → identification
Alzaq also allegedly told the undercover officer that he could deliver money monthly using coded language, including "bread," "bakeries," "buy bread" and "give it to the bakeries."
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he → tell → bakeries
Prosecutors cited earlier Snapchat messages in which Alzaq allegedly discussed using similar language with a U.S.-based Hamas supporter.
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Alzaq → cite → supporter
After the supporter asked him in January 2024 about money sent to "the bread people," Alzaq allegedly responded that he had "learned the way" and could deliver to them "whatever you want."
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you → ask → whatever
The indictment also alleges Alzaq advised donors not to reference Hamas to prevent their accounts from being shut down, including instructing followers in October 2024 not to write "Free Palestine" or "long live Hamas" on donations to his PayPal accounts.
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Hamas → allege → accounts
"Our intelligence analysts uncovered this international finance network and built the case that exposed more than $2 million being funneled to Hamas," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement.
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Tisch → uncover → statement
"Saleem Alzaq, a leader in Hamas' military arm responsible for planning and carrying out terrorist attacks, and the other defendants allegedly solicited donations under the guise of humanitarian aid and then directed that money to Hamas."
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Alzaq → plan → Hamas
The Aporia
