A Virginia man has been sentenced to more than 30 years in federal prison after being convicted of financing the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) using cryptocurrency. Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa, 35, was handed a sentence of 30 years and four months on May 7 by Federal Judge David Novak, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice on May 8.
Funding ISIS Through Crypto
Chhipa was found guilty of transferring over $185,000 to ISIS – funds that prosecutors say were used to support terrorist operations and assist female ISIS members, led by Allison Fluke-Ekren, in escaping detention camps in Syria. Between October 2019 and October 2022, he solicited donations both online and in person, converted the proceeds into cryptocurrency, and funneled them to contacts in Turkey who smuggled the funds across the border into Syria.
Allison Fluke-Ekren Involvement in ISIS
Allison Fluke-Ekren, a former schoolteacher from Kansas, became one of the few female leaders within the Islamic State and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in 2022. She led an all-female ISIS battalion in Syria, training over 100 women and girls – some as young as 10 – to use assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts during the group’s battles against U.S.-backed forces in 2017. Fluke-Ekren reportedly had a “husband-wife relationship” with Chhipa, likely referring to a religious rather than legal marriage. Her involvement with ISIS continued even after the deaths of her second, third, and fourth husbands – who were also affiliated with the group – and the loss of her 5-year-old son in a tank strike, according to court records.
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Social Media and Smuggling Networks
The Justice Department described Chhipa’s role as a key financier, facilitating the escape of detained ISIS women and contributing to the group’s violent operations. He reportedly used social media platforms to raise funds and sometimes traveled long distances to collect donations. Once received, the money was converted into digital currency and transmitted overseas to support terrorist operations.
Statement from the Attorney General
“This defendant directly financed ISIS in its efforts to commit vile terrorist atrocities against innocent citizens in America and abroad,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “This severe sentence illustrates that if you fund terrorism, we will prosecute you and put you behind bars for decades.”
Conviction and Charges
A federal jury convicted Chhipa in December 2023 on multiple charges, including:
- One count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization
- Four counts of providing and attempting to provide such support
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Attempted Escape and International Flight
Chhipa’s efforts to evade law enforcement began shortly after an FBI search of his residence on August 2, 2019. That same evening, he withdrew $1,800 from an ATM, paid a stranger at a Taco Bell to drive him to a relative’s house, and continued to a grocery store. Days later, he began traveling under false identities using bus tickets bought with misspelled names and newly created email accounts.
|He fled from Virginia to Mexico, then Guatemala, and booked flights to Panama, Germany, and Egypt. However, an Interpol Blue Notice – an alert seeking cooperation to locate and identify a person – led to his capture and return to the U.S.
Now 35, Chhipa is expected to remain behind bars until the age of 65. His case underscores the growing concerns around the use of cryptocurrencies to finance terrorism and demonstrates the U.S. government’s strong stance against such crimes.
