A federal grand jury indicted a Massachusetts teenager Tuesday for allegedly attempting to send hundreds of dollars in monetary aid to support ISIS via gift cards.
A federal grand jury at a Boston courthouse indicted 18-year-old Mateo Ventura of Wakefield, Massachusetts, on a single count of “knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts announced in a press release.
Prosecutors accused Ventura of sending several gift cards to someone the young man allegedly believed was an Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) supporter, but who was actually an undercover FBI agent, according to Boston.com.
“Mateo Ventura, 18, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on one count of knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization. “
Behind the scenes, the FBI is always working to fight terrorism to keep us safe.#ISIS… pic.twitter.com/PsQJJw0Xu5
— Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) October 18, 2023
The alleged crimes were said to be committed earlier in 2023, as Ventura was initially arrested and charged in June. (RELATED: Michigan Man Convicted Of Joining ISIS, Training In Terrorist Tactics)
Ventura allegedly intended for the gift cards to be resold on the dark web for amounts slightly less than their value at the respective stores. Those resale profits were meant to support ISIS, according to the press release.
The suspect allegedly said he hoped the money would help fund the terrorist organization’s “war on kuffar” (war on disbelievers). Between January and May, Ventura allegedly donated $705 with the intention to directly aid ISIS, the U.S. Attorney’s Office added.
Mateo Ventura, an 18-year-old from Wakefield, was arrested in June after allegedly raising $705 by giving gift cards to someone he believed supported ISIS, thinking profits from their resale would be sent to the terrorist group. https://t.co/9Sg43IyFSH
— NBC10 Boston (@NBC10Boston) October 18, 2023
Ventura is facing up to a decade in prison with the potential for a lifetime of supervised release as well as a $250,000 fine, according to the press release.
The 18-year-old is expected in federal court at a later date.