Great Lakes Wire

Jibreel Pratt, a 26-year-old resident of Detroit, Michigan, has pleaded guilty to two counts of concealing cryptocurrency donations intended for the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS). This announcement was made by United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., alongside Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan.

The plea agreement reveals that in February 2023, Pratt began communicating with a Confidential Human Source (CHS) whom he believed to be an ISIS member capable of facilitating his travel overseas to join the organization. Over several months, Pratt expressed his intent to join ISIS and even recorded a video pledging allegiance to its leader. He shared ideas and information on various subjects with the CHS, including methods for using drones and remote-controlled cars for explosives delivery and strategies for organizing intelligence operations.

In March and May 2023, Pratt sent Bitcoin to the CHS with the intention that it would support individuals traveling to join ISIS or fund acts of violence in support of the group. To conceal these transactions, he used a privacy-focused VPN and an app that encrypted private keys and transaction data.

U.S. Attorney Gorgon commented on Pratt's actions: "Jibreel Pratt has many talents. And he swore a binding oath to use them to help ISIS—a genocidal anti-American terrorist organization." He emphasized the commitment to bringing terrorists operating covertly to justice.

Cheyvoryea Gibson highlighted the significance of this case: "Today’s guilty plea by Jibreel Pratt underscores the serious threat posed by individuals who attempt to support foreign terrorist organizations known for violence and human rights abuses." He reaffirmed the FBI's dedication to protecting American citizens from terrorism through strong partnerships with law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Pratt's sentencing is set for November 13, 2025. The maximum penalty for concealing terrorism financing is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; however, both parties have agreed on a nine-year sentence as an appropriate resolution.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant United States Attorney Douglas Salzenstein and Jennifer Burke from the National Security Division at the U.S. Department of Justice are prosecuting on behalf of the United States.