OFAC Sanctions Five People and Entities Over Alleged Hamas Financing

OFAC sanctions target three people and two organizations that the U.S. Department of the Treasury links to alleged Hamas financing through public fundraising campaigns, organizations presented as charities, and cryptocurrency transfers. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the measures on October 2, 2026.

Saleem Abdallah Saleem al-Zaq, Faouzi Barika, Amel Oualid, Association Baraka, and Ensemble C Mieux were added to the sanctions list. The sanctions block the property of the designated people and entities if it is within U.S. jurisdiction. They also generally prohibit U.S. persons from conducting transactions with them.

OFAC sanctions and reported financial flows

According to OFAC’s announcement, the network raised more than $2 million for Hamas between 2020 and 2026. Of that amount, $1.5 million was reportedly raised after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury says that Barika and Oualid sent hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency to al-Zaq. However, the announcement does not specify which cryptocurrencies were allegedly used, nor does it provide wallet addresses, blockchain networks, or the exchanges involved.

It is therefore not possible to determine from the available materials what portion of the amount exceeding $2 million passed through cryptocurrency transactions. The available OFAC announcement does not contain information about any cryptocurrency assets that may have been seized.

Charitable fundraising at the center of the announcement

According to the U.S. agency, the case illustrates a cross-border model that allegedly combined public fundraising campaigns, entities presented as charitable organizations, and digital transfers. The sanctions action does not concern cryptocurrencies as a standalone system, but specific people and organizations that OFAC designated as part of an alleged Hamas financial network.

Claims about the movement of funds, the actual purpose of the fundraising campaigns, and the designated people’s ties to Hamas are based on the OFAC announcement. The available materials do not cite a court decision finding these people or organizations guilty.

What may happen next

Further developments may include responses from the affected organizations or relevant authorities, particularly in France or other countries. Any additional information from OFAC or the FBI about the wallets, assets, and volume of cryptocurrency that may have been investigated or seized will also be important.

The possible challenge to the sanctions and independent verification of the U.S. authorities’ claims also remain open questions. The current measures, however, already impose restrictions on property under U.S. jurisdiction and on transactions between U.S. persons and the designated parties.

Verified and updated: 10/05/2026 15:20