Senator Elizabeth Warren spearheaded a missive undersigned by crypto adversaries and previously neutral lawmakers regarding cryptocurrency’s involvement in funding terrorism. The endorsers, comprising 28 senators and 76 House of Representatives members from both political affiliations, including an independent, spotlighted concerns on the role of cryptocurrency in financing terrorism.
Dated October 17, the letter was directed to Brian Nelson, the Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, and Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor. Citing a news article alleging that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad had amassed over $130 million in crypto donations between August 2021 and June 2023, with minimal funds recovered, the letter emphasized the severity of the national security threat posed by crypto.
It conveyed, “The sophisticated use of crypto by Hamas in the realm of terror finance accentuates the threat crypto poses to the U.S. and its allies.” Urging swift and categorical action in curtailing illicit crypto activity, the letter posed nine questions to the addressees, seeking insights into the administration’s knowledge of terrorism funders, measures to counter crypto-financed terrorism, and additional required resources.
Senator Warren, a prominent crypto opponent in Congress, reintroduced the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act, initially introduced in December. The bill gained traction, especially amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas, garnering support from legislators like Roger Marshall and Sean Casten. Senate Banking Committee Chair Sherrod Brown, advocating for crypto regulation but not supporting Warren’s bill, also endorsed the letter. Noteworthy is the absence of signatures from crypto advocates Cynthia Lummis, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Patrick McHenry, while signers Jake Auchincloss and Josh Gottheimer had previously shown pro-crypto inclinations.
On October 17, Treasury Under Secretary Brian Nelson, in remarks for a Deloitte Anti-Money Laundering conference, emphasized Hamas’s unique financial resources and adept methods of accessing the formal financial system. He highlighted monitoring Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s use of virtual assets, aiming to establish transparency to combat illicit activities.
Simultaneously, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on a Gaza-based virtual currency exchange and its operator, alongside several collaborators linked to Hamas on October 18.
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