Detroit Man Jailed for 9 Years Over Bitcoin Donations Intended for ISIS

A Detroit man who operated “in the shadows” while trying to join and finance ISIS through crypto has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison, amid federal efforts to dismantle digital terrorism financing networks.

Jibreel Pratt he pleaded guilty in July to two accounts concealing crypto donations that were intended for the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham, according to a declaration from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

“Mr. Pratt is the latest traitor who – in his words – has operated ‘in the shadows,'” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. in Thursday’s statement. “And we will continue to stand guard because he cannot be the last.”

Pratt’s scheme began in February 2023 when he contacted someone he believed to be an ISIS operative, who was in fact a confidential federal source.

A Confidential Human Source (CHS) is an individual who secretly provides information or assistance to law enforcement agencies, often working undercover to help investigators gather evidence without revealing their identity.

In the months that followed, Pratt expressed his commitment to the terrorist organization, recording a video pledging allegiance to the ISIS leader, according to the statement.

In March and May 2023, he moved Bitcoin to the source, it is believed that the funds help pay for the trips of other recruits to join ISIS or support someone who was preparing to carry out violence in the name of the group.

Pratt provided the source with extensive handwritten notes and documents detailing operational strategies, including proposals for weaponizing drones and remote-controlled cars with explosives, organizing intelligence networks, and enhancing air defense capabilities.

To avoid detection, Pratt routed his BTC transfers through a privacy hub VPN and used encryption software to hide transaction details and private keys.

“The sentence should send a strong message to anyone who seeks to support foreign terrorist organizations, financially or otherwise, that the FBI will not stand idly by and allow this activity to take place in the United States,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan said in the statement.

Targeting crypto funding extremists

Pratt’s conviction comes amid a stepped-up federal campaign targeting the use of crypto to fund extremist groups.

In May, a Virginia man received 30 years in prison to funnel more than $185,000 in crypto to ISIS operatives in Syria between 2019 and 2022.

The Department of Justice seized more than $200,000 in crypto linked to Hamas in March, part of the network authority said that it has washed more than $ 1.5 million by the end of 2024.