Virginia Man Convicted of Using Cryptocurrency to Fund ISIS Operations

Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa funneled over $185,000 in crypto to ISIS, supporting prison escapes and fighters, and now faces up to 20 years in prison per charge.

• Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa, a 35-year-old Virginia resident, was convicted of providing material support to ISIS through a cryptocurrency scheme between 2019 and 2022.
• Chhipa raised funds via social media and in-person collections, converting them into cryptocurrency and transferring the money to Turkey, where it was smuggled into Syria for ISIS use.
• The funds were used to aid ISIS operations, including financing prison escapes for female members and supporting fighters in Syria.
• Chhipa's primary co-conspirator was a British-born ISIS member in Syria, who coordinated fundraising for prison escapes and other terrorist activities.
• He faces sentencing on May 5, 2025, with a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the five counts against him.

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