Crowdfunding is a global market that continues to grow. While it’s a valuable tool for legitimate projects and ventures, it can be exploited by terrorists who seek permissive environments for their activities.
FATF research reveals that groups like ISIL, Al-Qaeda, and ethnically/racially motivated terrorists use crowdfunding to raise funds for their activities. The ease of reaching a global audience makes it an attractive method for terrorist financing.
This FATF report, the first of its kind, delves into terrorist financing through crowdfunding, drawing from the FATF Global Network, industry experts, academia, and civil society. It covers various crowdfunding methods, from formal platforms to social media, messaging apps, and hybrid approaches.
The report highlights four primary ways terrorists abuse crowdfunding platforms, often combining multiple techniques. For instance, a terrorist might create a campaign on a crowdfunding platform, share it on social media, and request payment in virtual assets.
Read full report below
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