French authorities placed five people under formal investigation on Oct. 2, 2026, over allegations that humanitarian fundraising channels diverted money and cryptocurrency to Hamas commander Saleem Abdallah Saleem al-Zaq. The case follows coordinated French and U.S. enforcement action involving arrests, U.S. sanctions against Association Baraka, Ensemble C Mieux, Faouzi Barika, Amel Oualid and al-Zaq, and proceedings aimed at tracing digital assets. U.S. authorities allege the network collected more than $2 million between 2020 and 2026, including $1.5 million after Oct. 7, 2023, while French judicial estimates put transfers through local channels at about $1.1 million. Treasury says Barika and Oualid sent hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency to al-Zaq, while stressing that the wider fundraising total does not represent crypto transfers alone. U.S. crypto firms must block controlled assets linked to the designated parties and report them to OFAC within 10 business days, while foreign financial institutions risk secondary sanctions for knowingly facilitating significant transactions.