A San Diego man has been arrested in a federal terrorism case accusing him of using Gaza “humanitarian aid” campaigns as a cover to raise money for Hamas terrorists, while also diverting some of the funds for personal use.

Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, 38, was charged in a five-count criminal complaint with conspiracy to provide material support to Hamas, sanctions evasion, wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements. He was arrested in San Diego and appeared before a federal magistrate judge in the Southern District of California, while the case is being prosecuted by the Southern District of New York.

Federal prosecutors say Sabassi used social media accounts, crowdfunding platforms and a purported charity called Ikram — The Arab Charity Foundation Inc. to solicit donations from around the world. The public pitch was aid for Gaza. The alleged destination, according to the Justice Department, was Hamas.

Prosecutors say Sabassi raised roughly $600,000 through online campaigns, including “Gaza Relief” and “Gaza Relief Urgent Appeal.” The complaint alleges he sent about $116,000 to a Hamas member in Turkey and tried to convert about $382,000 into cryptocurrency, including USDT, to send through Gaza Now, a Hamas-linked fundraising network later sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury.

Authorities also accuse Sabassi of openly promoting Hamas online. Investigators say he posted an hour-long propaganda video of Hamas’s October 7 massacre, sourced from the official channel of the Qassam Brigades, and later reposted it. The complaint also cites posts glorifying Hamas figures and calling for Israel’s destruction.

Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg said Sabassi allegedly “exploited the barbaric acts of terror” on October 7 to draw donors into fraudulent humanitarian causes.

The Treasury Department had already sanctioned Gaza Now and its founder as part of a Hamas-aligned fundraising network, saying the online operation raised funds in support of Hamas after the massacre. That matters because the Sabassi case shows how the same network allegedly intersected with U.S.-based crowdfunding, donors and financial infrastructure.