A Syrian national is facing serious charges after U.S. officials allege he diverted $9 million in American-funded aid to a terrorist group. According to an unsealed indictment, Mahmoud Al Hafyan, 53, faces a 12-count indictment for alleged major fraud against the United States, accused of funneling humanitarian assistance intended for Syrian civilians to the Al-Nusrah Front, an al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist organization, according to the U.S Attorney's Office.
The plan to provide crucial humanitarian relief to Syrian civilians was severely undermined by corruption, as these funds came from USAID, a federal agency dedicated to global development and humanitarian assistance. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, along with officials from the USAID Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG) and the FBI's Counterterrorism Division, announced the case, focusing on what they describe as the intentional misdirection of aid meant to ease the suffering of war-affected communities.
"This defendant not only defrauded the U.S. government, but he also gave the humanitarian aid he stole to a foreign terrorist organization," said U.S. Attorney Graves, according to the press release. With a civil war raging in Syria since 2011 and creating a dire humanitarian crisis, the U.S. Government has expended more than $12 billion up until 2020 for aid through programs managed by various organizations, including United Nations agencies and NGOs like the one Al Hafyan led.
The resources, originally intended for food and medical supplies, were allegedly redirected to combatant groups, increasing the challenges faced by a nation already affected by conflict. FBI Special Agent Sanjay Virmani described the subversion of funds as a simultaneous theft from U.S. coffers and a bolstering of violent extremism: "Al Hafyan diverted millions of dollars in USAID funding to support the terrorist organization Al-Nusrah Front, as well as to line his own pockets," in a statement obtained by the U.S. Atorney's Office.
Investigators say Al Hafyan, also known as Abu Abdo Al-Homsi, headed an NGO's regional office in Syria and oversaw 160 employees. Between January 2015 and November 2018, this NGO received $122 million from USAID, with a portion of that funding allegedly redirected under Al Hafyan's watch to ANF commanders. The terrorist group has been linked to numerous violent acts, such as mass executions and suicide bombings, and is focused on overthrowing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The indictment, part of a probe by USAID-OIG and the FBI, has led to a cooperative push by federal attorneys to bring Al Hafyan to justice, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Seifert, Alexandra Hughes, and Jack Korba taking point for the prosecution. As formal judicial proceedings await, it's essential to note that an indictment is not a conviction—Al Hafyan is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
