A federal jury convicted 35-year-old Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa of Springfield, Virginia, on December 13 on charges of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Chhipa engaged in a scheme from October 2019 to October 2022 to send funds to female ISIS members in Syria. These funds were used to aid ISIS in various ways, including financing the escape of female members from prison camps and supporting ISIS fighters.
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Chhipa utilized social media platforms to raise money, receiving funds through electronic transfers and collecting cash in person after traveling hundreds of miles. He converted the funds into cryptocurrency, which was then sent to Turkey and smuggled into Syria for ISIS operatives.
Prosecutors revealed that Chhipa’s primary co-conspirator was a British-born ISIS member in Syria who was actively involved in planning prison escapes, terrorist attacks, and support for ISIS fighters. Over the course of the conspiracy, Chhipa funneled more than $185,000 in cryptocurrency to ISIS.
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The jury convicted Chhipa on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and four counts of providing and attempting to provide material support to ISIS. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Chhipa’s sentencing is scheduled for May 5, 2025, where a federal district court judge will determine the final sentence based on statutory factors and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
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