Virginia Man Convicted for Funding ISIS

Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa, a 35-year-old from Springfield, Virginia, was convicted by a federal jury for providing over $185,000 in cryptocurrency to support ISIS operations in Syria from October 2019 to October 2022. He raised funds through social media, converting them into cryptocurrency and sending them to a British-born ISIS member in Turkey, which facilitated attacks and prison escapes for ISIS fighters. Chhipa's actions included assisting female ISIS members, whom he helped escape from prison camps. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the five counts against him, including conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization. His sentencing is scheduled for May 5, 2025. Chhipa's defense argued that he was a victim of an extensive FBI investigation rather than an active conspirator.