Nadene Goldfoot
While there are no credible reports of the Syrian state (government) itself stealing cryptocurrency, there are extensive reports of terrorist organizations operating within Syria using and obtaining cryptocurrency for illicit financing, and reports of the Syrian government engaging in other forms of financial theft, such as siphoning humanitarian aid funds.
Humanitarian aid funds and materials have been consistently siphoned, stolen, or diverted by terrorist organizations to finance operations, pay combatants, and procure weapons. Evidence indicates this is a systematic issue, particularly in conflict zones like Gaza, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia, where groups such as Hamas, Al-Qaeda affiliates, and Al-Shabaab exploit aid distribution systems.
- A Syrian national was charged with diverting over $9 million in U.S.-funded aid intended for civilians to the Al-Nusrah Front, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group. WASHINGTON – Mahmoud Al Hafyan, 53, a Syrian national, has been charged in a 12-count indictment, unsealed today in U.S. District Court, alleging major fraud against the United States for illegally diverting more than $9 million in U.S.-funded humanitarian aid intended for Syrian civilians to armed combatant groups, including the Al-Nusrah Front (ANF), which is a designated foreign terrorist organization affiliated with al-Qaida in Iraq. Hmm, just the ticket for the former terrorist Jolani to direct this job.
Terrorist Financing in Syria via Crypto
Various terrorist and militant groups in Syria, including Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and those linked to the Islamic State(ISIS) and al-Qa`ida, have used digital currencies to raise, move, and hide funds.
- Fundraising and Donations: These groups often use social media and messaging platforms to solicit cryptocurrency donations.
- Money Service Businesses (MSBs): Informal MSBs and "BitcoinTransfer" shops in areas like Idlib have acted as central hubs, allowing individuals to buy, sell, and launder cryptocurrencies for cash, which then funds these organizations. Idlib refers to a city and governorate in northwestern Syria, famously known as the last major stronghold for Syrian opposition forces (rebels and jihadists) against President Bashar al-Assad's government, becoming a focal point for intense conflict, massive displacement of civilians, and humanitarian crises, with the Syrian government and its allies launching major offensives to retake the strategically important region bordering Turkey.
- Of course, Jolani the al Qaeda terrorist has become President of Syria and can use Idlib for his shenanigans.
- Disruptions: Law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Justice Department, have successfully tracked, seized, and disrupted these financing campaigns by covertly operating websites and seizing accounts.
Syrian Government Financial Misconduct
Reports indicate the Syrian government has been involved in significant financial misconduct, though not specifically "stealing" cryptocurrency in the way the user might be thinking:
- Aid Theft: The Assad regime and the Central Bank of Syria are reported to have siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid by manipulating the local currency exchange rates, making UN contracts a major source of revenue for the government.
- Extortion: The government and its officials have been accused of extorting millions of dollars in bribes from families of detainees in exchange for information or release, often through informal payment methods.
In summary, while the Syrian government has engaged in large-scale financial crimes, the theft of cryptocurrency is primarily associated with non-state actors and terrorist groups within the country like al Qaeda, or state actors from different countries like North Korea. 
In November 2024, a coalition of Syrian rebels mounted several offensives with the intention of ousting Assad. On the morning of 8 December, as rebel troops first entered Damascus, Assad fled to Moscow and was granted political asylum by the Russian government. You can be sure he took with him a bag of crypto currency, possibly like 18 billion dollars worth like a Santa Clause, to make the trip his grand finale.
In an interview with The New York Times in April 2025, Syrian president Jolani/Ahmed al-Sharaa said that Syrian officials requested Russia to extradite Assad as a condition for allowing their military presence in Syria, but Russia refused.
On 20 September 2025, while in exile in Moscow, Assad was hospitalized in critical condition. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has alleged he was poisoned in his home, though not specifying whether this was intentional or accidental. He was eventually discharged nine days later. On 13 October 2025, Lavrov denied reports that Assad was poisoned, saying Russia granted asylum to Assad and his family for humanitarian reasons and that Assad “has no issues living in our capital.”
Resource:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bashar_al-Assad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9FDVayJSB8
Syrian Contact
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