Ali Zeaiter is a U.S.-designated Lebanese businessman who has provided material support for Hezbollah. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Zeaiter has used three different companies—Stars International Ltd., Aero Skyone Co. Limited, and Labico Sal Offshore—as fronts for conducting transactions on behalf of the Lebanese terror group.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Procurement Agents and Their Companies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0255.aspx; “Treasury Sanctions Procurement Agents of Hizballah Front Company Based in Lebanon With Subsidiaries in the UAE and China,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 10, 2014, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl2562.aspx.

Zeaiter was the general manager of Lebanon-based Stars International Ltd. when the United States designated the company in July 2014. Zeaiter allegedly used Stars International Ltd. to purchase engines, communications, and navigation equipment for use in unmanned aerial vehicles on behalf of Hezbollah.“Treasury Sanctions Procurement Agents of Hizballah Front Company Based in Lebanon With Subsidiaries in the UAE and China,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, July 10, 2014, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl2562.aspx. Zeaiter allegedly relied on “false end-user certificates, mislabeled air waybills, and other fraudulent methods to avoid export restrictions and otherwise conceal the fact that Hizballah was the ultimate end-user or beneficiary of these goods.”“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Procurement Agents and Their Companies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0255.aspx.

The United States designated China-based Aero Skyone Co. Limited and Labico Sal Offshore in November 2015 because they were owned or controlled by Zeaiter. According to the U.S. government, Zeaiter used Aero Skyone Co. Limited to acquire engines and other UAV equipment from suppliers in Europe and Asia for Hezbollah.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Procurement Agents and Their Companies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0255.aspx.

On February 25, 2016, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also sanctioned Zeaiter, Aero Skyone Co. Limited, and Labico Sal Offshore.“Kingdom Imposes Sanctions on Individuals and Entities Linked to Hezbollah,” The Embassy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, February 25, 2016, https://www.saudiembassy.net/news/kingdom-imposes-sanctions-individuals-and-entities-linked-hezbollah.

Adel Mohammad Cherri is a U.S.-designated Lebanese businessman accused of using his China-based company Le-Hua Electronic Field Co. Limited as a front to conduct transactions on behalf of Hezbollah.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Procurement Agents and Their Companies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0255.aspx. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Cherri has used his company to buy dual-use technology and equipment from Asian suppliers for Hezbollah. He has also used the front to, “procure a variety of electronics from China for transport to Yemen for use in improvised explosive devices by” Iran- and Hezbollah-supported Houthi fighters.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Procurement Agents and Their Companies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0255.aspx. There are conflicting reports on whether or not Le-Hua Electronic Field Co. Limited is still operating.“Le-Hua Electronic Field Co., Limited,” Company Search, http://www.hkcompanycheck.com/le-hua-electronic-field-co-limited-hkepfphkc/#.WyvFFC_Myu4; “Le-Hua Electronic Field Co., Limited,” Company Search, https://www.hongkongcompany.net/company_information?utm_term=Le-hua-Electronic-Field-Co-Limited&utm_source=irigahke.

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) added Cherri and his company to its list of Specially Designated Nationals on November 5, 2015.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Procurement Agents and Their Companies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0255.aspx; “Counter Terrorism Designations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20151105.aspx. Soon after, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia imposed sanctions on Cherri and Le-Hua Electronic Field Co. Limited on February 25, 2016.“Kingdom Imposes Sanctions on Individuals and Entities Linked to Hezbollah,” The Embassy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, February 25, 2016, https://www.saudiembassy.net/news/kingdom-imposes-sanctions-individuals-and-entities-linked-hezbollah. As of February 27, 2016, Cherri remains in China.“Kingdom extends Hezbollah sanctions,” Arab News, February 27, 2016, http://www.arabnews.com/news/887121.

Adel Mohammad Cherri is a U.S.-designated Lebanese businessman accused of using his China-based company Le-Hua Electronic Field Co. Limited as a front to conduct transactions on behalf of Hezbollah.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Procurement Agents and Their Companies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0255.aspx. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Cherri has used his company to buy dual-use technology and equipment from Asian suppliers for Hezbollah. He has also used the front to, “procure a variety of electronics from China for transport to Yemen for use in improvised explosive devices by” Iran- and Hezbollah-supported Houthi fighters.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Procurement Agents and Their Companies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0255.aspx. There are conflicting reports on whether or not Le-Hua Electronic Field Co. Limited is still operating.“Le-Hua Electronic Field Co., Limited,” Company Search, http://www.hkcompanycheck.com/le-hua-electronic-field-co-limited-hkepfphkc/#.WyvFFC_Myu4; “Le-Hua Electronic Field Co., Limited,” Company Search, https://www.hongkongcompany.net/company_information?utm_term=Le-hua-Electronic-Field-Co-Limited&utm_source=irigahke.

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) added Cherri and his company to its list of Specially Designated Nationals on November 5, 2015.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Procurement Agents and Their Companies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0255.aspx; “Counter Terrorism Designations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 5, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20151105.aspx. Soon after, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia imposed sanctions on Cherri and Le-Hua Electronic Field Co. Limited on February 25, 2016.“Kingdom Imposes Sanctions on Individuals and Entities Linked to Hezbollah,” The Embassy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, February 25, 2016, https://www.saudiembassy.net/news/kingdom-imposes-sanctions-individuals-and-entities-linked-hezbollah. As of February 27, 2016, Cherri remains in China.“Kingdom extends Hezbollah sanctions,” Arab News, February 27, 2016, http://www.arabnews.com/news/887121.

Sobhi Mahmoud Fayad is a U.S.-designated senior Hezbollah official and financier in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America––the region that straddles the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. Fayad helped coordinate the financial network of U.S.-designated Assad Ahmad Barakat in the TBA in the 1990s. He has served as a liaison between the Iranian embassy and the Hezbollah community in the TBA, and has traveled to Lebanon and Iran to meet with the group’s leadership and receive military training.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. Fayad was imprisoned in Paraguay in 2002 for tax evasion, though he was released in 2009 and reportedly continues to reside in the TBA and travel freely on a Paraguayan passport.“Recent OFAC Actions,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/pages/20061206.aspx; “The many criminal heads of the Golden Hydra,” Counter Extremism Project, accessed May 25, 2016, https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/The%20Many%20Criminal%20Heads%20of%20the%20Golden%20Hydra%20%28May%202018%29.pdf; Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, “Examining the Effectiveness of the Kingpin Designation Act in the Western Hemisphere,” Congressional Testimony: Foundation for Defense of Democracies, November 8, 2017, http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20171108/106606/HHRG-115-FA07-Wstate-OttolenghiE-20171108.pdf.

Fayad has resided in the TBA, where he is reportedly an influential member of the Lebanese community living there, since at least 1992.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. He served as the executive assistant of U.S.-designated Assad Ahmad Barakat, the leader of Hezbollah’s financial network in the region.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx; “Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. Fayad himself conveyed significant funds to Hezbollah-linked charities.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. In 2000, he sent more than $3.5 million to Hezbollah’s “Martyr” Social Beneficent Organization, which provides care to children whose parents were killed in the service of Hezbollah, and reportedly received a thank you letter from Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah in response.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf; “The many criminal heads of the Golden Hydra,” Counter Extremism Project, accessed May 25, 2016, https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/The%20Many%20Criminal%20Heads%20of%20the%20Golden%20Hydra%20%28May%202018%29.pdf.

Fayad was first arrested in October 1998 for conducting surveillance of the U.S. embassy in Asunción, Paraguay, though he was released after cooperating with authorities. He was arrested again in October 1999 for the same reason, though he was again released after authorities failed to gather sufficient evidence to charge him. Fayad was arrested for a third time on November 8, 2001, at the Galería Page shopping center (today known as Shopping Uniamérica) in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, after authorities found evidence that he was transferring large sums of money to banks in Lebanon and Canada almost daily. He was indicted for tax evasion, falsified document use, and running a business without accounting books, and underwent trial in November 2002.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. Fayad was convicted and sentenced to six and a half years in prison.“Libanés condenado por evasión ya está recluido en la Agrupación,” November 23, 2002, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/policiales/libanes-condenado-por-evasion-ya-esta-recluido-en-la-agrupacion-673509.html. After he was released from Paraguayan custody in 2009, Paraguay has since reportedly lost track of his whereabouts.“The many criminal heads of the Golden Hydra,” Counter Extremism Project, accessed May 25, 2018, https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/The%20Many%20Criminal%20Heads%20of%20the%20Golden%20Hydra%20%28May%202018%29.pdf.

Fayad was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of the Treasury on December 6, 2006.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. According to the designation, he held both Lebanese and Paraguayan citizenship, as well as multiple Paraguayan passports, at the time.“Recent OFAC Actions,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/pages/20061206.aspx.

Fayad’s Facebook account suggests that he has traveled extensively in recent years on a valid Paraguayan passport, according to a 2017 congressional testimony from Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. In December 2015, Fayad reportedly traveled to Karbala, Iraq, to complete a pilgrimage. In September 2016, he reportedly flew from Brazil to Lebanon and then Saudi Arabia to fulfill the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage. In 2017, Fayad reportedly returned to Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, and also visited Damascus, Syria.Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, “Examining the Effectiveness of the Kingpin Designation Act in the Western Hemisphere,” Congressional Testimony: Foundation for Defense of Democracies, November 8, 2017, http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20171108/106606/HHRG-115-FA07-Wstate-OttolenghiE-20171108.pdf.

Muhammad Yusif Abdallah is a U.S.-designated senior Hezbollah leader and fundraiser in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America––the region that straddles the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. In 2006, the Paraguayan periodical ABC Color referred to him as a “spiritual leader” of Hezbollah.“Los nueve árabes sospechosos para EUA tienen negocios en C. del Este,” ABC Color (Asución), December 17, 2006, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/policiales/los-nueve-arabes-sospechosos-para-eua-tienen-negocios-en-c-del-este-950958.html. He has served as the owner and manager of the U.S.-designated Galería Page shopping center (today known as Shopping Uniamérica) in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, which reportedly serves as a “regional command post” for Hezbollah.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx; “Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. Abdallah has also been linked to Hezbollah’s 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and injured over 300.Armando Rivarola, “Hezbollah en Triple Frontera, la realidad más allá del mito,” ABC Color (Asunción), May 14, 2017, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/hezbollah-en-triple-frontera-la-realidad-mas-alla-del-mito-1593540.html; Harriet Alexander, “The Buenos Aires bomb, the Iranian allegations, and the accusations against Cristina Kirchner,” Telegraph (London), January 19, 2015, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/argentina/11356031/The-Buenos-Aires-bomb-the-Iranian-allegations-and-the-accusations-against-Cristina-Kirchner.html.

Abdallah reportedly immigrated to the TBA from Lebanon prior to 1982.Jeffrey Goldberg, “In the Party of God,” New Yorker, October 28, 2002 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/10/28/in-the-party-of-god-2. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, he served as a personal courier of funds for Hezbollah, and also received funds from the group to fund its activities in the TBA.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. For example, in 1994, Abdallah built a mosque called the Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad in central Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, using funds allegedly donated by Hezbollah.Jeffrey Goldberg, “In the Party of God,” New Yorker, October 28, 2002 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/10/28/in-the-party-of-god-2; “Los nueve árabes sospechosos para EUA tienen negocios en C. del Este,” ABC Color (Asución), December 17, 2006, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/policiales/los-nueve-arabes-sospechosos-para-eua-tienen-negocios-en-c-del-este-950958.html. Abdallah also served as an owner and manager of the Galería Page shopping center (today known as Shopping Uniamérica) in Ciudad del Este, which reportedly serves as a “regional command post” for Hezbollah.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx; “Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. Abdallah would reportedly give Hezbollah a portion of his income based on his profits from Galería Page.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. In a 2002 interview with the New Yorker, Abdallah denied his links to Hezbollah and instead claimed that he had only donated to the group under pressure.Jeffrey Goldberg, “In the Party of God,” New Yorker, October 28, 2002 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/10/28/in-the-party-of-god-2. Nonetheless, the U.S. Treasury reported that he hosted a major fundraiser for Hezbollah in the TBA in 2004, and also traveled to Lebanon several times to meet with the group’s leadership.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx.

According to the U.S. Treasury, Abdallah has been involved in several other illicit activities, including the import of contraband electronics, passport falsification, credit card fraud, and the trafficking of counterfeit U.S. dollars.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. Abdallah reportedly co-operated a travel agency in Foz do Iguaçu called Piloto Turismo that provided the perpetrators of the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires with false passports and a base for communication.Armando Rivarola, “Hezbollah en Triple Frontera, la realidad más allá del mito,” ABC Color (Asunción), May 14, 2017, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/hezbollah-en-triple-frontera-la-realidad-mas-alla-del-mito-1593540.html.

Abdallah was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of the Treasury on December 6, 2006.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. According to the designation, he held both Lebanese and Paraguayan citizenship and both a Lebanese and Paraguayan passport at the time.“Recent OFAC Actions,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/pages/20061206.aspx.

Mohammed Tarabain Chamas is a U.S.-designated Hezbollah operative in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America––the region that straddles the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, he has transferred funds from the TBA to Hezbollah in Lebanon and regularly maintains contact with Hezbollah members in Lebanon and Iran.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. Chamas also serves as the administrator of the U.S.-designated Galería Page shopping center (today known as Shopping Uniamérica) in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, which reportedly serves as a “regional command post” for Hezbollah.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx; “Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. He has also served as a private secretary for U.S.-designated Hezbollah leader Muhammad Yusif Abdallah, and has provided Hezbollah with security information about residents in the TBA as part of the group’s counterintelligence operations.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx.

On December 6, 2006, Chamas was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. According to the designation, he held Paraguayan, Brazilian, and Lebanese citizenship at the time.“Recent OFAC Actions,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/pages/20061206.aspx.

As of 2005, Chamas reportedly served as the proprietor and vice president of a company called Hi-Tech Digital Technology S.A. As of 2011, he reportedly operated a parking garage called Cars Estacionamento in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, “Examining the Effectiveness of the Kingpin Designation Act in the Western Hemisphere,” Congressional Testimony: Foundation for Defense of Democracies, November 8, 2017, http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20171108/106606/HHRG-115-FA07-Wstate-OttolenghiE-20171108.pdf. As of 2016, he reportedly continued to serve as the administrator of Shopping Uniamérica, though official documents showed that he had also been appointed administrator of an adjacent shopping center in Ciudad del Este called Galería Conquistador.Emanuele Ottolenghi, “What Netanyahu Should Ask Paraguay’s President,” Jerusalem Post (Jerusalem), July 17, 2016, https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/The-question-Netanyahu-should-raise-to-visiting-president-of-Paraguay-460664; Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, “Examining the Effectiveness of the Kingpin Designation Act in the Western Hemisphere,” Congressional Testimony: Foundation for Defense of Democracies, November 8, 2017, http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20171108/106606/HHRG-115-FA07-Wstate-OttolenghiE-20171108.pdf.

Mohammed Fayez Barakat is a U.S.-designated Hezbollah fundraiser operating in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America––the region that straddles the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. He has hosted fundraisers for Hezbollah in the region and arranged the transfer of funds to the group. Barkat has also provided direct financial support to his cousin, U.S.-designated Assad Ahmad Barakat.Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, “Examining the Effectiveness of the Kingpin Designation Act in the Western Hemisphere,” Congressional Testimony: Foundation for Defense of Democracies, November 8, 2017, http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20171108/106606/HHRG-115-FA07-Wstate-OttolenghiE-20171108.pdf. Mohammed Fayez Barakat was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of the Treasury on December 6, 2006.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. According to the designation, he held both Lebanese and Paraguayan citizenship at the time.“Recent OFAC Actions,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/pages/20061206.aspx.

In March 2007, Barakat was captured by an undetermined group of individuals. He was released 20 days later after his friends and family reportedly paid his captors a sum of $150,000. In a press conference that he held at his apartment after his release, Barakat claimed that he had spent ten days in captivity in Brazil and an additional ten in Paraguay. He claimed that he was transferred to Paraguay in the trunk of a vehicle, which was completely undetected by border authorities from either country.“Captores liberan a Barakat tras cobrar rescate de 150.000 dólares,” ABC Color (Asunción), March 27, 2007, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/policiales/captores-liberan-a-barakat-tras-cobrar-rescate-de-150000-dolares-971484.html. In 2008, Barakat was investigated by Paraguayan authorities for money laundering related to his company, Big Boss International Import Export, which is located inside the U.S-designated Shopping Uniamérica shopping center (previously known as Galería Page) in Ciudad del Este.Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, “Examining the Effectiveness of the Kingpin Designation Act in the Western Hemisphere,” Congressional Testimony: Foundation for Defense of Democracies, November 8, 2017, http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20171108/106606/HHRG-115-FA07-Wstate-OttolenghiE-20171108.pdf; “Seprelad confirma operaciones sospechosas de empresario libanés,” ABC Color (Asunción), November 30, 2008, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/policiales/seprelad-confirma-operaciones-sospechosas-de-empresario-libanes-1125542.html. Barakat reportedly transferred a sum of $88,480 through the Paraguayan bank Banco Amambay on December 3, 2005, and another sum of $71,000 on March 8, 2006.“Seprelad confirma operaciones sospechosas de empresario libanés,” ABC Color (Asunción), November 30, 2008, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/policiales/seprelad-confirma-operaciones-sospechosas-de-empresario-libanes-1125542.html. Nonetheless, he was never prosecuted and continued to freely operate Big Boss International Import Export as of 2017, according to Paraguayan official records.Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, “Examining the Effectiveness of the Kingpin Designation Act in the Western Hemisphere,” Congressional Testimony: Foundation for Defense of Democracies, November 8, 2017, http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20171108/106606/HHRG-115-FA07-Wstate-OttolenghiE-20171108.pdf. In November 2016, he reportedly attended a reception hosted by the Lebanese embassy in Asunción as an honored guest.Emanuele Ottolenghi, John Hannah, “To Combat Illegal Immigration, Trump Should Target Latin America’s Hezbollah-Narco Nexus,” Foreign Policy, December 23, 2016, http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/12/23/to-combat-illegal-immigration-trump-should-target-latin-americas-hezbollah-nacro-nexus/. According to a congressional testimony from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, Barakat remains an active and “influential figure” in the Lebanese community of Paraguay.Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, “Examining the Effectiveness of the Kingpin Designation Act in the Western Hemisphere,” Congressional Testimony: Foundation for Defense of Democracies, November 8, 2017, http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA07/20171108/106606/HHRG-115-FA07-Wstate-OttolenghiE-20171108.pdf.

Assad Ahmad Barakat is a U.S.-designated key Hezbollah financier who has operated in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America––the region that straddles the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina.“Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx. Barakat, who has close ties with Hezbollah’s leadership, was the group’s chief of military operations and fundraising in the TBA in the 1990s.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. He operated Hezbollah’s financial network in the region, and owned several businesses of his own that conducted money laundering activities to generate funds for the group.“Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx. Barakat was indicted by Paraguay in 2001, and served a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence in the country after he was arrested in Brazil in 2002.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf; “Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx. He was released from Paraguayan custody in 2009.“The many criminal heads of the Golden Hydra,” Counter Extremism Project, accessed May 25, 2016, https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/The%20Many%20Criminal%20Heads%20of%20the%20Golden%20Hydra%20%28May%202018%29.pdf. He is wanted by Paraguayan authorities for identity theft and by Argentine authorities for money laundering on behalf of Hezbollah in an Argentine casino. In September 2018, Brazilian police arrested Barakat near the Paraguayan and Argentine borders.“‘Hezbollah treasurer’ Barakat arrested in Brazil border city,” BBC News, September 22, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45610738. He was extradited to Paraguay in July 2020.Tereza Fretes Alonso, “Assad Barakat fue ingresado al pais con fuerta custodia politica,” ABC, July 17, 2020, https://www.abc.com.py/este/2020/07/17/assad-barakat-fue-ingresado-al-pais-con-fuerte-custodia-policial/.

In the mid-1980s, Barakat immigrated from Lebanon to Paraguay to escape the Lebanese Civil War.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf; “The many criminal heads of the Golden Hydra,” Counter Extremism Project, accessed May 25, 2016, https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/The%20Many%20Criminal%20Heads%20of%20the%20Golden%20Hydra%20%28May%202018%29.pdf. He soon began operating several businesses based in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, including Apollo Import Export and Mondial Engineering and Construction, through which he conducted money laundering schemes to generate funds for Hezbollah.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf; “The many criminal heads of the Golden Hydra,” Counter Extremism Project, accessed May 25, 2016, https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/The%20Many%20Criminal%20Heads%20of%20the%20Golden%20Hydra%20%28May%202018%29.pdf; “Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. Barakat also operated additional businesses based in Lebanon, Chile, and the United States, at times with the assistance of his brothers Hatem and Hamzi.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf; “Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx; “Recent OFAC Actions,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/pages/20061206.aspx. He also collected funds for Hezbollah by pressuring Lebanese shopkeepers in the TBA to pay a quota to the group under threat of putting their family members on a “Hezbollah blacklist.”“Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx. Barakat regularly sent large sums of money to the group in Lebanon and Iran and even personally carried funds to Lebanon, traveling with a Paraguayan passport as of 2000.“Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx; “Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf.

In addition to his direct fundraising roles, Barakat reportedly served as the deputy financial director of a mosque in Brazil, as the deputy for another Hezbollah financial official, Ali Muhammad Kazan, and eventually as the primary liaison in the TBA for Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.“Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx. He was also reportedly one of two individuals in charge of distributing counterfeit U.S. currency in the TBA.“Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx. As of 2001, Barakat reportedly traveled to Lebanon and Iran annually to meet with Hezbollah’s leadership.“Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx.

Barakat was also involved in planning Hezbollah’s military operations. He was an organizer and key financier of Hezbollah’s 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and injured over 300.“The many criminal heads of the Golden Hydra,” Counter Extremism Project, accessed May 25, 2016, https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/The%20Many%20Criminal%20Heads%20of%20the%20Golden%20Hydra%20%28May%202018%29.pdf; Harriet Alexander, “The Buenos Aires bomb, the Iranian allegations, and the accusations against Cristina Kirchner,” Telegraph (London), January 19, 2015, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/argentina/11356031/The-Buenos-Aires-bomb-the-Iranian-allegations-and-the-accusations-against-Cristina-Kirchner.html. Barakat relayed information to Hezbollah’s leadership about Arabs in the TBA who traveled to the United States or Israel. He regularly hosted and attended meetings with other senior Hezbollah leaders in the TBA, such as one meeting in Brazil in the fall of 2000 at which they discussed potential assassination plots. Authorities later discovered videos on Barakat’s personal computer of violent Hezbollah military operations in Lebanon.“Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx.

In 2001, Paraguay indicted Barakat on charges of association, abetment of crime, and tax evasion, and an international warrant was issued for his arrest. In response, Barakat fled the TBA that October.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf. However, he was arrested by Brazilian authorities in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, on June 22, 2002, and extradited to Paraguay that December, where he served a six and a half-year prison sentence.“Terrorist and Organized Crime Groups in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America,” Library of Congress, July 2003, 2, 20, https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/TerrOrgCrime_TBA.pdf; “Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx.

Barakat was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of the Treasury on June 10, 2004. Two of his businesses, Casa Apollo and Barakat Import Export Ltda., were also designated at the time for their involvement in generating support for Hezbollah.“Treasury Designates Islamic Extremist, Two Companies Supporting Hizballah in Tri-Border Area,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 10, 2004, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/js1720.aspx.

Barakat was released from Paraguayan custody in 2009, though Paraguay reportedly lost track of his whereabouts since.“The many criminal heads of the Golden Hydra,” Counter Extremism Project, accessed May 25, 2016, https://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/files/The%20Many%20Criminal%20Heads%20of%20the%20Golden%20Hydra%20%28May%202018%29.pdf. According to the Brazilian Federal Police, Barakat continued to operate on behalf of Hezbollah in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Argentine police accused him of money laundering at a casino in the Argentine city of Puerto Iguazu. In August 2018, Brazil’s supreme court authorized Barakat’s arrest after Paraguay issued an arrest warrant. On September 21, 2018, Brazilian police announced they had arrested Barakat in Foz do Iguaco, Brazil, near the border with Paraguay and Argentina.“Brazilian police arrest alleged Hezbollah financier,” Reuters, September 21, 2018, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-hezbollah-arrest/brazilian-police-arrest-alleged-hezbollah-financier-idUSKCN1M128N; “‘Hezbollah treasurer’ Barakat arrested in Brazil border city,” BBC News, September 22, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45610738. He was extradited to Paraguay in July 2020.Tereza Fretes Alonso, “Assad Barakat fue ingresado al pais con fuerta custodia politica,” ABC, July 17, 2020, https://www.abc.com.py/este/2020/07/17/assad-barakat-fue-ingresado-al-pais-con-fuerte-custodia-policial/.

Ali Muhammad Kazan is a U.S.-designated Hezbollah operative and fundraiser in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of South America––the region that straddles the borders of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. He reportedly may have succeeded U.S.-designated Assad Ahmad Barakat as the leader of Hezbollah’s political structure in the TBA, and also reportedly served as a counterintelligence official for the group.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. As of August 2006, Kazan helped to raise more than $500,000 for Hezbollah from Lebanese businessmen in the region.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. In 2006, the Paraguayan periodical ABC Color referred to him as the “political reference” and “visible face of Hezbollah” in the TBA.“Los nueve árabes sospechosos para EUA tienen negocios en C. del Este,” ABC Color (Asución), December 17, 2006, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/policiales/los-nueve-arabes-sospechosos-para-eua-tienen-negocios-en-c-del-este-950958.html.

ABC Color also reported that Kazan served as the administrator of funds for the Society of Islamic Charity of Foz do Iguaçu, a Hezbollah-linked charitable organization. However, the report claimed that Kazan did not enjoy widespread support from Hezbollah sympathizers in the region, and instead had achieved his high-ranking roles in the organization through family connections. The periodical also reported that Kazan hosted and accompanied Hezbollah deputy Ismail Sukkarieh during his visit to Brazil in May of 2006.“Los nueve árabes sospechosos para EUA tienen negocios en C. del Este,” ABC Color (Asución), December 17, 2006, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/policiales/los-nueve-arabes-sospechosos-para-eua-tienen-negocios-en-c-del-este-950958.html. In addition to his duties for Hezbollah, Kazan reportedly worked as the director of the Escola Libanesa Brasileira (Lebanese Brazilian School) in Foz de Iguacú, Brazil, as of 2007.“Siguen acusando a la Tres Fronteras de ser nido de extremistas islámicos,” ABC Color (Asunción), March 12, 2007, http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/interior/siguen-acusando-a-la-tres-fronteras-de-ser-nido-de-extremistas-islamicos-968031.html.

Kazan was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of the Treasury on December 6, 2006.“Treasury Targets Hizballah Fundraising Network in the Triple Frontier of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/hp190.aspx. According to the designation, he held both Lebanese and Paraguayan citizenship at the time.“Recent OFAC Actions,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 6, 2006, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/pages/20061206.aspx.

Mohammed Ibrahim Bazzi is a Hezbollah financier who has fundraised millions of dollars for Hezbollah through his business activities in Belgium, Lebanon, Iraq, and West Africa.“Treasury Targets Key Hizballah Financing Network and Iranian Conduit,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 17, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0388. He was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Department of the Treasury on May 17, 2018. Five companies owned or controlled by Bazzi were also designated by the U.S. Treasury on the same date.“Treasury Targets Key Hizballah Financing Network and Iranian Conduit,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 17, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0388. The United States has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information on Bazzi.“Lebanese Hezbollah’s Financial Network,” Rewards for Justice, accessed May 19, 2021, https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/lebanese_hizballah_financial_network.html.

From 2009 to 2010, Bazzi worked with Abdallah Safi-Al-Din, Hezbollah’s representative to Iran, and the Central Bank of Iran to increase banking access between Iran and Lebanon. In 2011, Bazzi and Safi-Al-Din worked to resolve a dispute and reestablish relations between Iran and The Gambia.“Treasury Targets Key Hizballah Financing Network and Iranian Conduit,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 17, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0388. According to the U.S. Treasury, Bazzi is a “close associate” of Yahya Jammeh, the former president of The Gambia who was sanctioned by the United States in December 2017 for his record of human rights abuses and money laundering.“Treasury Targets Key Hizballah Financing Network and Iranian Conduit,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 17, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0388; “United States Sanctions Human Rights Abusers and Corrupt Actors Across the Globe,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, December 21, 2017, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0243.

Bazzi maintains ties to other U.S.-designated individuals, including Hezbollah financiers Adham Tabaja and Ali Youssef Charara.“Treasury Targets Key Hizballah Financing Network and Iranian Conduit,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 17, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0388. He also has links to drug dealers and the U.S.-designated Ayman Joumaa Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Organization, a Lebanese drug trafficking network.“Treasury Targets Key Hizballah Financing Network and Iranian Conduit,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 17, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0388; “Treasury Targets Major Lebanese-Based Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Network,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, January 26, 2011, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1035.aspx.

Five of Bazzi’s companies were also designated by the U.S. Treasury on May 17, 2018.“Treasury Targets Key Hizballah Financing Network and Iranian Conduit,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 17, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0388. They included the Belgian energy services conglomerate Global Trading Group NV, the Gambian petroleum company Euro African Group LTD, as well as three Lebanon-based companies: Africa Middle East Investment Holding SAL, Premier Investment Group SAL Offshore, and Car Escort Services S.A.L. Off Shore.“Treasury Targets Key Hizballah Financing Network and Iranian Conduit,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 17, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0388. On April 24, 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Bazzi’s son, Wael Bazzi, for acting on behalf of his father.“U.S. Targets Two Men, Three Firms for Helping Hezbollah Avoid Sanctions,” Reuters, April 24, 2019, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-hezbollah-sanctions/u-s-targets-two-men-three-firms-for-helping-hezbollah-avoid-sanctions-idUSKCN1S02CY.

In September 2019, The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission found that Bazzi was involved in extensive business dealings with former President Yahya Jammeh and his government. Bazzi reportedly had an interest in at least 15 companies that had business dealings with Jammeh’s government. In some cases, his companies were awarded exclusive contracts with the government that were paid for with funds that Jammeh illegally withdrew from the Central Bank of The Gambia. Because of his history of corrupt behavior with the Jammeh administration, the Gambian government declared Bazzi persona non grata, permanently forbidding him from entering the country. The Gambian government also permanently banned 20 companies associated with Bazzi.“Mohamed Bazzi Banned from entering The Gambia,” Foroyaa, September 24, 2019, https://foroyaa.net/mohamed-bazzi-banned-from-entering-the-gambia/.

On July 9, 2020, the Gambian Court of Appeal dismissed Bazzi’s appeal of the Commission’s ruling. The Court ruled that, because the Commission is not a judicial body but is an advisory part of the Gambian executive branch, the Court of Appeal has no authority to overturn the Commission’s ruling.Yankuba Jallow, “Court of Appeal Dismisses Case of Mohamed Bazzi,” Foroyaa, July 9, 2020, https://foroyaa.net/court-of-appeal-dismisses-case-of-mohamed-bazzi/.