Catherine Beth Washburn, seen here in an undated photo provided by the Justice Department, was arrested and charged Tuesday for allegedly providing tens of thousands of dollars to a U.S. designated terrorist organization. Photo courtesy Justice Department/Release
July 1 (UPI) -- Federal authorities have arrested and charged an upstate New York woman accused of transferring more than $30,000 in cryptocurrency to Palestine Islamic Jihad, a Gaza-based militant group that participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The FBI's Buffalo field office said it arrested Catherine Beth Washburn, 37, of Irondequoit, N.Y., on Tuesday, the same day she made her initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Pederson.
Washburn was charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization, and could face up to 20 years' imprisonment and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
"This defendant, fueled by her self-described hate of Israel and Jewish people, went to great lengths to attempt to provide financial support to terrorist organizations that use violence to further their agendas, including the Palestine Islamic Jihad," U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York said in a statement.
