Man Sentenced 30 Years for Funding ISIS Through Cryptocurrency

A Virginia man has been sentenced to over three decades in prison after being found guilty of sending cryptocurrency to the Islamic State (ISIS). Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa was convicted for allegedly funneling over $185,000 to female ISIS members in Syria, who used the funds to escape prison and support their ongoing operations. Prosecutors say Chhipa, 35 at the time of his arrest, collected money through social media platforms and traveled long distances to accept donations in person. He then converted this money into cryptocurrency before sending it to Turkey, which was subsequently smuggled to ISIS members across the Syrian border.