Louisiana Arrests Expose Alleged Hamas Support Networks, From Oct. 7 Visa Fraud to a Multi-Year Social Media Fundraising Scheme

Two separate federal investigations have led to charges against three men in Louisiana. Prosecutors allege one joined the Oct. 7 assault and hid it to enter the U.S.; two others allegedly raised money online for a Hamas operative in Gaza.

By Khurram Ali RazaFaith & Freedom News · October 3, 2026

Two separate federal investigations in Louisiana have led to the arrest of three men accused of supporting Hamas. One is accused of taking part in the Oct. 7, 2023 assault on Israel and then entering the United States on a falsified visa. The other two are accused of running a multi-year social-media fundraising scheme that prosecutors say funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to a Hamas operative in Gaza, CBS News reported.

All three are accused, not convicted. Each is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Two cases, one pattern

Choose a case below for the key facts, then read the full account.

Case 1: Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi of Lafayette

What he is accused of

Al-Muhtadi, 33, a Gaza native living in Lafayette, was arrested in October 2025 on federal terrorism and immigration charges tied to the Oct. 7 attacks. According to the Justice Department, he armed himself and crossed into Israel on Oct. 7 intending to take part in the Hamas-led assault. He is charged with conspiracy and material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the Washington Examiner reported.

The visa fraud allegations

Prosecutors allege he concealed his paramilitary ties and involvement in the attack when applying for a U.S. visa. He then entered the country on Sept. 12, 2024, through Dallas-Fort Worth before settling in Louisiana. The criminal complaint says he gave false information about his connection to a paramilitary group, links to Hamas, participation in a terrorist attack and military training. Court records indicate he was held at the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center near Lafayette.

The GoFundMe controversy

A related indictment references a GoFundMe campaign his wife set up in early 2024 to help pay for his visa and airfare. The page has since been removed. The effort has drawn scrutiny because it took place while U.S. authorities say he was concealing his alleged role in the Oct. 7 attack.

Case 2: Abdel and Omar Adhami and the $1.7M finance network

The broader scheme

In a coordinated U.S.-France operation announced in early October 2026, federal prosecutors unsealed charges against Saleem Alzaq (also spelled al-Zaq), a 45-year-old Gaza resident described as a battalion deputy commander in Hamas’s Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades and a propaganda photographer. Since at least January 2020, Alzaq is accused of using Telegram, Snapchat, Instagram, PayPal and other channels to raise more than $1.7 million through campaigns portrayed as humanitarian aid for Gaza. At least $626,000 allegedly came from U.S. donors, according to CBS News.

The Louisiana brothers’ alleged roles

Abdel Adhami, 35, and Omar Adhami, 33, of Covington, were arrested in September 2026. Prosecutors allege they raised money through sham “Gaza aid” campaigns on Snapchat and Instagram, then sent funds to Alzaq. Court filings describe Abdel transferring roughly $83,000 to $94,000 and Omar roughly $6,000 to $11,000. Charges include providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to provide material support, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

How the network allegedly operated

According to indictments, Alzaq and co-conspirators solicited donations between 2020 and 2025 under the guise of providing food and winter necessities to Palestinians in Gaza, while actually directing proceeds to Hamas. In one instance cited by prosecutors, an undercover officer posing as a U.S.-based Hamas supporter contacted Alzaq on Snapchat in late 2025. Alzaq allegedly said he could receive money in New York and connect the officer with local contacts. Earlier messages reportedly show Alzaq using coded references to “the bread people” and saying he had “learned the way” to deliver funds. In France, authorities say he partnered with associates to form two front charities, Association Baraka and Ensemble C Mieux.

Treasury sanctions and the federal response

On Oct. 2, 2026, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Alzaq and several associates, including the French partners and their front groups, for sanctions. It called the operation a “sophisticated, multi-year financing architecture” that moved more than $2 million to Hamas through deceptive charitable fronts and cryptocurrency channels. The Justice Department said the arrests disrupt a global network supplying Hamas with funds to continue attacks, according to its announcement. FBI Director Kash Patel has publicly emphasized efforts to identify and break such financing pipelines.

Why the cases matter, and where critics push back

Law enforcement’s view

Federal officials say the cases show how social media has “lowered the bar” for moving money and support to Hamas, letting small-scale fundraisers plug into larger transnational networks. The Adhami brothers’ alleged use of Snapchat, Instagram and Telegram to post propaganda, solicit donations and redirect followers to private channels is cited as a typical playbook, NBC News reported.

Advocacy and civil-liberties concerns

Some advocacy groups and legal observers have questioned whether certain Gaza-related fundraising probes risk overreach or could chill legitimate humanitarian speech and giving, especially when campaigns use vague language about “aid” without clear organizational ties. Prosecutors stress that the charged conduct involves intentional deception, portraying donations as charity while knowingly funneling money to a designated terrorist organization, and explicit coordination with Hamas operatives.

Charges at a glance

Sources

CBS News · Washington Examiner · U.S. Department of Justice · NBC News