- Detroit resident Jibreel Pratt sentenced to nine years for concealing Bitcoin donations intended to support ISIS operations.
- Pratt provided intelligence-style guidance, pledged allegiance, and sought travel to join ISIS before transferring crypto through privacy tools.
- The case highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of crypto-related terror financing.
Federal prosecutors said Detroit resident Jibreel Pratt, 26, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison after he admitted concealing Bitcoin transfers he believed would support the Islamic State group, ISIS.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said Pratt pleaded guilty to two counts tied to hiding the source and purpose of his cryptocurrency donations before Wednesday’s sentencing.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Pratt initiated contact with a Confidential Human Source (CHS) in February 2023, believing the person could arrange overseas travel so he could join ISIS.
Court filings show that Pratt recorded a video pledging allegiance to ISIS leadership and shared detailed operational ideas ranging from drone-based explosive delivery systems to intelligence structures and air-defense improvements. Investigators say he also produced handwritten notes outlining tactical concepts designed to strengthen ISIS capabilities.
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In March and May 2023, Pratt sent Bitcoin to the source, telling them he wanted the funds used to help other people travel to join ISIS or to support an individual he believed would carry out an act of violence for the group. To obscure the nature of the transfers, Pratt relied on the use of VPNs and an app that encrypted private keys and transaction metadata.
FBI Vows to Disrupt Homegrown Extremism
U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. described Pratt as a supporter who “operated in the shadows,” emphasizing continued vigilance against domestic ISIS sympathizers. FBI Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan said the sentencing underscores the Bureau’s commitment to disrupting homegrown violent extremism and preventing the use of financial or digital channels to assist foreign terrorist organizations.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DOJ’s National Security Division.
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Source: https://coinedition.com/detroit-man-9-years-covert-bitcoin-isis-scheme/
