Hamas attack victims sue Binance for allegedly allowing payments to militant group

Core Viewpoint - Victims of Hamas' October 2023 attack on Israel have filed a lawsuit against Binance and its founder Changpeng Zhao, alleging that the company facilitated over $1 billion in payments to Hamas and other terrorist organizations, even after a previous guilty plea for anti-money-laundering violations [1][2]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit includes 306 American victims, including relatives of those killed, injured, or taken hostage during the attacks [2]. - Plaintiffs accuse Binance of knowingly enabling terrorist groups, claiming that over $50 million was moved through its platform after the October 7 attack [2]. - The lawsuit seeks compensatory and triple damages among other remedies [4]. Group 2: Binance's Operations - The complaint alleges that Binance laundered money for Hamas and has not significantly changed its business model despite previous legal issues, including a $4.32 billion penalty for violating anti-money-laundering laws [1][3]. - Zhao previously pleaded guilty to anti-money-laundering violations and served a four-month prison sentence, later receiving a pardon from former President Donald Trump [3]. Group 3: Suspicious Transactions - The complaint highlights large cryptocurrency transactions linked to individuals with no clear financial means, including a Venezuelan woman associated with a Brazilian livestock company, who allegedly received over $177 million in deposits [5][6]. - The lawsuit mentions at least two suspicious transactions linked to online addresses in Kindred, North Dakota [7].