The seized accounts reportedly are tied to Hamas and Islamic State (ISIS).
Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include the use of AI tools.
Authorities in Israel have seized 190 Binance accounts with ties to Islamic terrorist groups since 2021, Reuters said on May 4.
Reuters reported that two of those accounts were linked to Islamic State (ISIS) and that almost all of the other accounts were owned by three firms with ties to Hamas.
Reuters was unable to determine the total amount of cryptocurrency seized across those 190 accounts. However, it noted that Israel's National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) disclosed in April that it had seized cryptocurrency worth more than $137,000 from 80 Binance accounts belonging to the same three firms.
The NBCTF said that those accounts were the property of “terrorist organizations.” However, a representative for one of the companies — Al Mutahadun For Exchange — said that the firm does not use cryptocurrency and only works with fiat money.
Other reports from December suggest that Israel seized at least $33,500 and $750,000 of cryptocurrency from Hamas-linked crypto wallets on other occasions.
Incidentally, U.S. CFTC charges from March suggest that Binance executives knowingly discussed and permitted transactions connected to Hamas.
