The United States just sanctioned 7 Lebanese people for their involvement with Hezbollah and Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), the organization’s financial institution.
By doing this, the U.S. is targeting Hezbollah‘s financial officials and officials of AQAH who serve as shadow bankers to help Hezbollah evade sanctions.
Here’s what you need to know about them:
Ibrahim Ali Daher
- Born July 4, 1964
- Chief of Hezbollah‘s Central Finance Unit
- The U.S. Treasury Department writes that the unit “oversees [Hezbollah’s] overall budget and spending, including the group’s funding of its terrorist operations and killing of the group’s opponents.”
- He is a member of the Lebanese Association of Certified Public Accountants.
Ezzat Youssef Akar
- Born November 1, 1967
- AQAH official
- Shadow banker holding “shadow accounts” through to conduct transactions for Hezbollah
- Maintains joint bank accounts with Ahmad Mohamad Yazbeck, Abbas Hassan Gharib, Mustafa Habib Harb, and Hasan Chehadeh Othman in Lebanese banks through which more than $500 million were transferred within the formal financial system over the past decade, despite sanctions against AQAH.
Mustafa Habib Harb
- Born August 6, 1973
- AQAH official
- Shadow banker holding “shadow accounts” through to conduct transactions for Hezbollah
- Maintains joint bank accounts with Yazbeck, Gharib, Akar, and Othman in Lebanese banks through which more than $500 million were transferred within the formal financial system over the past decade, despite sanctions against AQAH.
Hasan Chehadeh Othman
- Born June 29, 1979
- AQAH official
- Shadow banker holding “shadow accounts” through to conduct transactions for Hezbollah
- Maintains joint bank accounts with Yazbeck, Gharib, Harb, and Akar in Lebanese banks through which more than $500 million were transferred within the formal financial system over the past decade, despite sanctions against AQAH.
Wahid Mahmud Subayti
- Born February 23, 1961
- AQAH official
- Involved in conducting transactions through “shadow accounts” on behalf of Hezbollah
- The U.S. Treasury Department writes: “Subayti previously played a similar role in maintaining bank accounts in his own name along with other senior Bayt al-Mal officials. [Hezbollah‘s] Bayt al-Mal, along with the Central Finance Unit, acted as [Hezbollah‘s] finance ministry.”
Ahmad Mohamad Yazbeck
- Born December 1, 1971
- AQAH’s financial director
- Holds several “shadow accounts” through which transactions are conducted for Hezbollah
- Maintains joint bank accounts with Gharib, Harb, Akar, and Othman in Lebanese banks through which more than $500 million were transferred within the formal financial system over the past decade, despite sanctions against AQAH.
- He is a member of the Lebanese Association of Certified Public Accountants.
Abbas Hassan Gharib
- Born September 25, 1969
- AQAH’s informatics manager
- Holds several “shadow accounts” through which transactions are conducted for Hezbollah
- Maintains joint bank accounts with Yazbeck, Harb, Akar, and Othman in Lebanese banks through which more than $500 million were transferred within the formal financial system over the past decade, despite sanctions against AQAH.
The U.S. Treasury Department indicated that while the AQAH “masquerades” as an NGO, “in practice it illicitly moves funds through shell accounts and facilitators, exposing Lebanese financial institutions to possible sanctions.”
“By hoarding hard currency that is desperately needed by the Lebanese economy, AQAH allows [Hezbollah] to build its own support base and compromise the stability of the Lebanese state,” read the statement.
