ScamsNOW!

The SCARS Institute Magazine about Scam Victims-Survivors, Scams, Fraud & Cybercrime

2025 SCARS Institute 11 Years of Service

Israel Seized $1.7M in Crypto

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., positions from Reuters and CoinDesk

Israel Seized $1.7M in Crypto From Iranian Military and Hezbollah With Chainalysis’ Aid

The Israeli government seized the crypto wallets after an order from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant earlier this week.

The Israeli government has seized $1.7 million in crypto from wallets linked to the Iranian military and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon with the aide of Chainalysis, according to the Defence Minister announced and the crypto investigations firm.

It was the first time any agency seized crypto (cryptocurrency) from Hezbollah and Iran’s Quds Force, Chainalysis said on Tuesday.

The seizure of the crypto wallets came after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the move several weeks ago, according to a government communique. The effort involved Israel’s Mossad spy agency, its military intelligence office, the Israeli police, and others.

“This is the first event of this magnitude in which an infrastructure headed by Hezbollah and the Iranian Quds Force that transferred millions of dollars for use by terrorist elements was thwarted,” Galant said while speaking at the third crypto conference of the National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing in Israel’s Ministry of Defense.

As many as 40 crypto wallet addresses were on the seizure list and all of the funds were in USDT on the TRON network (USDT-TRON), Chainalysis said. The pattern reflected that funds were moved first from financial facilitators to hawala services and OTC brokers, and then to Hezbollah-controlled addresses at mainstream exchanges.

In May, Israeli authorities seized roughly 190 Binance crypto accounts with alleged ties to terrorist groups such as Hamas and Daesh since 2021, according to Reuters.

“Amazing job my friends Binance,” posted Amit Levin, head of the Economic Department within the Cyber Unit in the Office of the Israel State Attorney, at the time. “Continue cleaning our crypto eco-system from illegal activities.”

Binance aided Israel in this action against Iran and Hezbollah

Previous Crypto Seizures By Israel

Previously in May, Israel seized around 190 crypto accounts at crypto exchange Binance since 2021, including two it said were linked to Islamic State and dozens of others it said were owned by Palestinian firms connected to the Islamist Hamas group, documents released by the country’s counter-terror authorities show.

Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) on Jan. 12 confiscated two Binance accounts and their contents, one of the documents on the NBCTF’s website showed. The seizure was to “thwart the activity” of Islamic State and “impair its ability to further its goals,” the NBCTF said on its website.

The NBCTF document, which has not been previously reported, did not give any details on the value of the crypto seized, nor how the accounts were connected to Islamic State.

The exchange has been “working closely with international counter-terrorism authorities” on the seizures, Binance said. “With regard to the specific organizations mentioned in the article, it’s important to clarify that bad actors don’t register accounts under the names of their criminal enterprises,” it said.

Under Israeli law, the country’s defense minister can order the seizure and confiscation of assets that the ministry deems related to terrorism.

Regulators globally have long called for tighter controls on crypto exchanges to prevent illegal activities, from money laundering to the financing of terrorism. The seizures by Israel’s NBCTF highlight how governments are targeting crypto companies in their efforts to prevent illegal activity.

Binance, founded in 2017 by CEO Changpeng Zhao, says on its website it reviews information requests from governments and law enforcement agencies on a case-by-case basis, disclosing information as legally required. Binance has also said it checks users for connections to terrorism and has “continued to invest tremendous resources to enhance its compliance program,” it told U.S. senators in March in response to their requests for information on Binance’s regulatory compliance and finances.

The exchange’s policies and processes comply with European Union anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism-financing requirements, Binance said in its blog.

Militant Groups

Islamic State emerged in Syria after Iraq’s civil war. At its 2014 peak, it controlled a third of Iraq and Syria, before being beaten back. Now forced underground, Islamic State militants continue to wage insurgent attacks.

The U.S. Treasury said in a report last year that Islamic State had received crypto donations it later converted to cash, accessing funds via crypto trading platforms. The Treasury did not specify which platforms and declined to comment for this article.

The owner of the two Islamic State-linked Binance accounts seized by Israel was a 28-year old Palestinian called Osama Abuobayda, the NBCTF document shows. Abuoyada did not respond to requests for comment via email addresses and a phone number listed in the NBCTF document.

In a series of investigations last year, it was reported that Binance intentionally kept weak anti-money laundering controls. Since 2017, Binance has processed over $10 billion in payments for criminals and companies seeking to evade U.S. sanctions, according to Reuters. Binance disputed the articles, calling the illicit-fund calculations inaccurate and the descriptions of its compliance controls “outdated.”

Two men suspected by Germany of assisting an Islamist gunman who killed four people in Vienna in 2020 used Binance, it was stated in a letter from the German police to the company. Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Binance shared information with the police on the clients, its legal representatives said last year. Reuters could not independently establish this.

Money Exchangers

Nearly all of the 189 Binance accounts seized by Israel since Dec. 2021 were owned by three Palestinian currency exchange firms, the NBCTF documents showed.

The three are designated by Israel as “terrorist organizations,” according to a list on the NBCTF’s website, for their alleged involvement in the transfer of funds by Hamas, which runs the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

  • In April 2023, the NBCTF said in a document it had seized crypto worth over 500,000 shekels ($137,870) from over 80 Binance accounts belonging to the three Gaza-based companies, Al Mutahadun For Exchange, Dubai Company for Exchange and Al Wefaq Co. For Exchange.
  • The accounts were the property of “terrorist organizations” or used for a “severe terror crime,” the document said, without elaborating. Local media outlets in Israel previously reported the April seizures.
  • A person with direct knowledge of Al Mutahadun said it did not work “at all” with crypto or cooperate with Hamas. “We are a money exchange company. Israeli allegations are all lies and are foundless,” the person said.
  • Al Mutahadun was designated as a “terrorist organization” in May 2021 by Israel, the NBCTF list shows.
  • Al Wefaq and Dubai Co. did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment via email and WhatsApp.

In its blog post, Binance said it works with law enforcement and “leverages information that is only available to them in order to identify individuals operating accounts for illicit organizations.”

Hamas does not have any connection with the money exchange companies, spokesperson Hazem Qassem said. The allegations of links to the companies were an attempt by Israel to “justify its economic war against Gaza and its people,” Qassem said.

Hamas’s armed wing said last week it would stop receiving funds in Bitcoin after an increase in “hostile” activity against donors.

Binance, its CEO Zhao, and its former compliance chief Samuel Lim are facing civil charges from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for “wilful evasion” of U.S. commodities laws. Zhao has called the charges an “incomplete recitation of the facts.”

In its complaint, the CFTC said Lim received information in 2019 on Hamas’ transactions at Binance. Lim told a colleague that “terrorists” usually send small sums of funds, as “large sums constitute money laundering,” according to the CFTC complaint.  Lim has not publicly responded to the charges.

ARTICLE RATING

0
(0)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

META

Categories: UncategorizedViews: 685

CATEGORIES

MOST POPULAR COMMENTED ARTICLES

POPULAR ARTICLES

U.S. & Canada Suicide Lifeline 988

WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT
LATEST SITE COMMENTS

See Comments for this Article at the Bottom of the Page

Important Information for New Scam Victims

Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
SCARS Institute now offers a free recovery program at www.SCARSeducation.org
Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery

If you are looking for local trauma counselors, please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org

If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Statement About Victim Blaming

Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and not to blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and help victims avoid scams in the future. At times, this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims; we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.

These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens, and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.

Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org

SCARS INSTITUTE RESOURCES:

IF YOU HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY A SCAM OR CYBERCRIME

♦ If you are a victim of scams, go to www.ScamVictimsSupport.org for real knowledge and help

♦ Enroll in SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org

♦ To report criminals, visit https://reporting.AgainstScams.org – we will NEVER give your data to money recovery companies like some do!

♦ Sign up for our free support & recovery help by https://support.AgainstScams.org

♦ Join our WhatsApp Chat Group at: https://chat.whatsapp.com/BPDSYlkdHBbDBg8gfTGb02

♦ Follow us on X: https://x.com/RomanceScamsNow

♦ Follow us and find our podcasts, webinars, and helpful videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RomancescamsNowcom

♦ SCARS Institute Songs for Victim-Survivors: https://www.youtube.com/playlist…

♦ See SCARS Institute Scam Victim Self-Help Books at https://shop.AgainstScams.org

♦ Learn about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org

♦ Dig deeper into the reality of scams, fraud, and cybercrime at www.ScamsNOW.com and www.RomanceScamsNOW.com

♦ Scam Survivor’s Stories: www.ScamSurvivorStories.org

♦ For Scam Victim Advocates visit www.ScamVictimsAdvocates.org

♦ See more scammer photos on www.ScammerPhotos.com

You can also find the SCARS Institute on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and TruthSocial

Psychology Disclaimer:

All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only

The information provided in this and other SCARS articles are intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.

Note about Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices have the potential to create psychological distress for some individuals. Please consult a mental health professional or experienced meditation instructor for guidance should you encounter difficulties.

While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.

Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.

If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.

Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here

If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair, please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.

A Question of Trust

At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish. Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors’ experience. You can do Google searches, but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.

Leave A Comment

Your comments help the SCARS Institute better understand all scam victim/survivor experiences and improve our services and processes. Thank you

Thank you for your comment. You may receive an email to follow up. We never share your data with marketers.