DOJ Sentences Michigan Man to 9 Years for Crypto Support to ISIS
- The DOJ has sentenced 26-year-old Jibreel Pratt to nine years in prison after he admitted to hiding cryptocurrency donations for ISIS, a foreign terrorist group.
- Court documents reveal Pratt secretly communicated with an undercover FBI source and shared violent operational ideas.
The United States Department of Justice has sentenced a 26-year-old Michigan citizen to nine years’ imprisonment for his involvement in sponsoring a terrorist group in Iraq. According to the details shared on their official website, the 26-year-old Jibreel Pratt was sentenced after he admitted guilt to two charges that involved his attempt to hide crypto donations he planned to send to the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS).
The charges came because ISIS is officially recognized as a foreign terrorist group. The announcement of his sentence was made by the United States Attorney, Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., along with Jennifer Runyan, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan.
How the Undercover Found Out About the Crypto Transfer
The whole operation, according to the court details, started when Pratt started communicating with someone who he believed was an ISIS member in February 2023. This individual was actually a Confidential Human Source (CHS) working with the law enforcement of the United States, and unknowingly to Pratt, he thought the CHS could help him travel abroad so he could join ISIS.
Over the following months, when he communicated with the CHS, Pratt continued to express his wish to leave the country and become involved with the organization. He even went as far as recording a video where he swore his loyalty to ISIS’s leader, showing his commitment and intention to participate in whatever the group was doing.
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During this period, Pratt also shared different types of ideas and notes with the CHS. Some of these materials included his suggestions on how ISIS could use some advanced technology, such as drones or remote-controlled vehicles, to deliver explosives.
He also attempted to give advice on how the group could organize intelligence strategies and strengthen its air defense systems. All of this just goes to show his deeper level of involvement and that he was not just offering support but also trying to provide operational guidance.
In March and May of 2023, Pratt sent Bitcoin to the CHS, thinking the funds would help cover travel costs for individuals he believed were going to join ISIS. He also thought the money might support someone preparing to commit a violent act on behalf of the group. To avoid detection, Pratt tried to hide the origin and purpose of the crypto transfers. He also made use of a privacy-focused VPN and an application designed to encrypt wallet information and transaction data, hoping to keep all his activities secret.
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