10 million reward for information on Lebanese Businessman funding Hezbollah
The US State Department is offering a financial reward worth $10 million to anyone who provides information on a Lebanese businessman who supports and funds Hezbollah.
The U.S. Treasury Department said it would award a $10 million reward for anyone who helps reach Lebanese businessman Ali Youssef Charara, who has invested millions of dollars for Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
The Rewards for Justice Account of the US State Department tweeted: “You can get a reward of up to $10 million if you have information about him (Charara), or his activities, by sending him to Rewards for Justice”.
Ali Youssef Charara, 54, is a member of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia and a leading financier of the group. He has invested millions of dollars in his capacity as chairman of the board and general manager of Spectrum Investment Group, helping to provide financial support to the group, which Washington considers a terrorist organization.
Spectrum Investment Group Holding SAL, a Lebanon-based telecommunications company, provides integrated communications services in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
In a 2016 statement, the U.S. Treasury Department explained that Washington is targeting, through Charara and Spectrum Investment Group Holding, a major support network for Hezbollah.
The ministry said it has sanctioned Charara since 2016, noting that he received millions of dollars from Hezbollah to invest in businesses that financially support the group.
In addition to facilitating commercial investments on behalf of Hezbollah, Charara also participated in oil projects in Iraq with another Hezbollah member, Adhem Tabaja, and financial support to Hezbollah, according to the statement of the Ministry of Finance, Qasim Hajej, both of whom were previously identified by the Treasury in the list of persons involved in helping Hezbollah.
In addition, he has extensive commercial interests in the telecommunications sector in West Africa.
The United States decided on the Hezbollah International Finance Prevention Act of 2015, which the president signed into law on December 18, 2015.
The United States designated Hezbollah a global terrorist organization in October 2001.
