Letter to The Hon. Steven T. Mnuchin, Secretary, U.S. Department of Treasury, and To the Hon. William Barr, Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice - Reps. Cleaver & Gottheimer Call for Bipartisan Briefing Following Seizure of Cryptocurrency Assets from Foreign Terrorist Organizations
Letter
Dear Secretary Mnuchin & Attorney General Barr,
Last week, the Department of Justice announced the seizure of millions of dollars' worth of
cryptocurrency raised by designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, which could be used to finance
attacks against Americans and our allies.1 The Department uncovered extensive and sophisticated
solicitations of donations via cryptocurrency from some of the world's most heinous terrorist groups,
including ISIS, al Qaeda, and the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, on social media websites
such as Facebook and Twitter, including taking advantage of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to sell
fraudulent personal protective equipment (PPE) to unsuspecting buyers online.
It is vital that Members of the Subcommittee on National Security, International Development and
Monetary Policy receive a briefing, at the appropriate classification level, on this action, the largest ever
seizure of online terrorist financing, from the Department of Justice, the Department of the Treasury on
this investigation. In addition, we respectfully request Treasury provide an assessment of how it is
working to proactively confront and curtail these malign actors within our financial networks. This will
further inform the Subcommittee on what legislative actions we should be undertaking to provide
regulators and law enforcement the proper resources and tools to continue to address the illicit use of
cryptocurrency and disrupt terrorist organizations' financial networks.
Thank you for your commitment to keeping the American people safe from those who threaten our
communities. We look forward to working closely with you as the Subcommittee continues to work on
this important issue.
Sincerely,
Emanuel Cleaver, II Josh Gottheimer
Chairman Member of Congress
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