A former Lebanese diplomat, Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, has pleaded guilty to evading U.S. financial sanctions against him and Hezbollah, the U.S.-designated terrorist organization. Bazzi, who holds multiple citizenships, admitted to moving hundreds of thousands of dollars from the U.S. to Lebanon in violation of sanctions.
Facing up to 20 years in prison, deportation, and forfeiture of over $800,000, Bazzi’s sentencing date is pending. Previously labeled a “specially designated global terrorist,” Bazzi was arrested in Romania in 2023 and extradited to the U.S. for his involvement in funding Hezbollah.
Working with an accomplice, Talal Chahine, who remains at large in Lebanon, Bazzi attempted to launder money through various transactions. Bazzi’s honorary consul appointment in Lebanon by the government of Gambia in 2005 helped him access unique benefits and connections, according to ProPublica.