The United States Department of Justice says a global “charity” director turned humanitarian aid into a pipeline of money and supplies for Hamas.
Story Snapshot
- U.S. prosecutors charged Turkish national Mohammad Yousef Hasna with financing and supporting Hamas through a sham charity.
- Officials say Hasna coordinated directly with senior Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad to move cash and supplies into Gaza.
- The charity, registered in the United Kingdom, allegedly raised tens of millions of dollars while hiding Hamas’s control over aid.
- Hasna was arrested in the United Kingdom and now faces extradition to New York, with each terrorism charge carrying up to 20 years in prison.
DOJ Targets Alleged Hamas Pipeline Masquerading as Charity
The United States Department of Justice has unsealed a three-count criminal complaint against Turkish resident Mohammad Yousef Hasna, accusing him of using a supposed humanitarian charity to support Hamas. Prosecutors say Hasna, also known as “Orhan Korkmaz” and “Abu al-Baraa,” served as global director of a United Kingdom–registered organization they bluntly label a “Sham Charity.” As global director, he allegedly turned donor funds and aid shipments into resources for Hamas, a United States–designated foreign terrorist organization since 1997.
According to the complaint, Hasna’s organization presented itself to the world as a large international relief group. Public filings cited by news outlets show reported gross income of about $41.8 million in 2023 and roughly $81.56 million in 2024, with about $91 million spent in the 2025 fiscal year on claimed charitable work. Prosecutors say the real mission was different: to move cash, food, supplies, and other materials into Hamas’s hands in Gaza while donors believed they were helping ordinary civilians.
Direct Coordination with Senior Hamas Leadership Alleged
United States officials say Hasna did not act on the sidelines but worked directly with senior Hamas figures. The complaint and related reporting describe repeated contact since at least 2023 with Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’s top governing body and a senior leader in Gaza. Hasna allegedly arranged cash deliveries to Hamad, organized shipments of supplies into the Gaza Strip, and helped transport materials from Egypt, all under the charity’s banner. Prosecutors say those supplies were then stored in warehouses controlled by the charity and Hamas, not neutral aid groups.
The charging documents describe efforts to hide Hamas’s control over the aid chain. Hasna and Hamas-linked partners allegedly took photos and videos of supplies to show donors, but they cropped out warehouse signs that would reveal the true location and controllers. The Justice Department says this was part of a broader pattern where the charity’s branding and media were used to convince supporters their money backed neutral humanitarian work, while Hamas leaders directed how and where aid was truly delivered. For American readers, this highlights why terrorism-financing law treats “material support” as more than just guns or cash: food, vehicles, and logistics can also fuel violent groups.
Arrest in the UK, Extradition to New York, and Broader Security Stakes
British authorities arrested Hasna in the United Kingdom after the United States complaint was unsealed, and a court ordered him held while extradition proceedings move forward. If he is brought to New York, he will face three federal charges: conspiring to provide material support to Hamas, conspiring to finance terrorism, and financing terrorism. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, meaning he could face decades behind bars if convicted. As with any criminal case, the charges are allegations until a court finds guilt, but the Justice Department’s public language is unusually sharp.
Mohammad Yousef Hasna, a Turkish national, faces charges for funneling millions to Hamas through a sham charity, directly aiding a terrorist organization responsible for the October 7 atrocities against innocent victims. https://t.co/US4xcSzGau
— Leonard Willie (@adelphi) August 2, 2026
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald of the Southern District of New York said Hasna is alleged to have “abused his position” in the charity to raise money and deliver funds and supplies to Hamas, which she called a “brutal terrorist organization responsible for the murders of dozens of Americans and over a thousand other innocent victims.” Federal Bureau of Investigation leadership echoed that message, stressing that the Joint Terrorism Task Force is focused on dismantling global financing networks and the sham charities that support them. For conservatives who worry that “aid” can be twisted into support for terror, this case shows federal authorities under President Trump moving aggressively against those schemes while defending American lives and allies.
Pattern of Terror-Finance Fronts and Why This Case Matters for Americans
This case fits a long-running pattern where terrorist groups hide behind charities and humanitarian brands to raise money and move supplies. United States laws on material support allow prosecutors to charge anyone who knowingly provides property, services, facilities, personnel, or transportation to a designated terrorist organization, even when it is dressed up as relief work. Past actions by the United States government and allies have found similar networks using charities, non-government organizations, cash couriers, and money exchanges to mask where funds really go.
For American families, the stakes are simple but serious: every dollar and every truck that reaches Hamas strengthens a group sworn to Israel’s destruction and openly hostile to the United States. When fake charities exploit the goodwill of donors who think they are feeding hungry children, they not only betray those donors, they also help violent extremists plan the next attack. Strong enforcement protects charitable giving, our allies in Israel, and our own national security. The Hasna case is still moving through court, and more evidence will surface, but it already sends a clear message from the Trump administration’s Justice Department: using “humanitarian aid” as a mask for terror support will be treated as a major federal crime, not a minor paperwork issue.
Sources:
townhall.com, apnews.com, jpost.com, washingtonpost.com, jns.org, israelhayom.co.il
