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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Treasury Designates Transnational al-Shabaab Money
Laundering Network
March 11, 2024

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC) imposed sanctions on 16 entities and individuals who compose an expansive business
network spanning the Horn of Africa, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Cyprus that raises and
launders funds for al-Shabaab, a terrorist group affiliated with al-Qa’ida. Individuals within this
network include influential businesspeople in the region that lend financial backing to alShabaab, a terrorist group responsible for some of the worst terrorist attacks in East Africa’s
modern history. These attacks have claimed the lives of thousands of innocent civilians. These
individuals and entities are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as
amended, which targets terrorist groups and their enablers.
“The United States is committed to working with regional partners to root out terror financing
networks and the entities they abuse to raise and move funds,” said Under Secretary of the
Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “Today’s action is part of a
multifaceted effort by Treasury to support the Somali government’s economic offensive against
al-Shabaab—one of three pillars in their campaign to degrade this deadly terrorist group.”
Al-Shabaab generates over $100 million per year by extorting local businesses and individuals,
as well as through the financial support of affiliated businesspeople. The threat posed by alShabaab is not limited to Somalia. Al-Shabaab’s revenues are disbursed to other al-Qa’idasupported groups worldwide and help fund al-Qa’ida’s global ambitions to sow discord and
undermine good governance. This action continues Treasury’s efforts to disrupt al-Shabaab’s
abuse of the regional financial system and builds on OFAC’s October 2022 designation of a
network of al-Shabaab financial facilitators who served as key interlocutors between alShabaab and local businesses in Somalia.

AL-SHABAAB MONEY LAUNDERERS IN THE UAE AND
EASTERN AFRICA

The network of individuals and entities designated today have been involved in the raising and
laundering of millions of dollars through several businesses at the direction and in the interest
of al-Shabaab.
Dubai-based Haleel Commodities L.L.C., also known as Haleel Group, is a key financial
facilitator for al-Shabaab, which relies on the leaders of Haleel Group, as well as its branches
and subsidiaries in Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, and Cyprus to generate and launder funds. Haleel
Group’s subsidiaries in Cyprus include Haleel Finance LTD, Haleel Holdings, and Haleel LTD;
the group also has branches in Kenya (Haleel Commodities Limited) and Uganda (Haleel
Commodities LTD) and operates as Haleel Electronics in Somalia.
UAE-based Qemat Al Najah General Trading has served as an important money laundering
node in the network, and helped manage and transfer funds for al-Shabaab in connection with
Haleel Group.
Kenya-based Faysal Yusuf Dini (Dini) is an al-Shabaab financial facilitator who leverages Haleel
Group and some of its leadership to transfer funds on behalf of al-Shabaab. He also works
closely with Kenya-based Mohamed Jumale Ali Awale (Awale) to plan investment projects and
money laundering activities. This includes managing al-Shabaab funds laundered through
investment projects and companies, including through Kenya-based Crown Bus Services.
Crown Bus Services has also supported al-Shabaab’s logistical operations.
Hassan Abdirahman Mahamed, a Finland-based Somali citizen, uses money transfer and
hawala businesses to support al-Shabaab’s money laundering operations linked to the network
of Haleel Group and Qemat Al Najah General Trading. UAE-based Mohamed Artan Robel is
another member of this money laundering network supporting al-Shabaab through the Haleel
Group and Qemat Al Najah General Trading. Abdikarin Farah Mohamed is a Somalia-based key
member of this money laundering network.
Farhan Hussein Hayder (Hayder) directs and manages Haleel Group’s branches in Kenya,
Uganda, Cyprus, and the UAE, and supports al-Shabaab by generating funds for the group
through these businesses.
A notable part of this network is active in Uganda. Specifically, Abdulkadir Omar
Abdullahi (Abdullahi), is associated with Haleel Group’s Uganda branch as its director, along
with Omar Sheikh Ali Hilowle (Hilowle) and Hayder. In his role, Abdullahi has managed and
transferred funds for al-Shabaab.

Farhan Hussein Hayder, Mohamed Jumale Ali Awale, Abdulkadir Omar Abdullahi, and Qemat Al
Najah General Trading are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having
acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, al-Shabaab, a person whose
property is and interest in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13224.
Faysal Yusuf Dini, Omar Sheikh Ali Hilowle, Abdikarin Farah Mohamed, and Mohamed Artan
Robel are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted,
sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to
or in support of, al-Shabaab, a person whose property and interest in property are blocked
pursuant to E.O. 13224.
Hassan Abdirahman Mahamed is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for
having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support
for, or goods or services to or in support of, Haleel Commodities L.L.C., a person whose property
and interest in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended.
UAE-based Haleel Commodities L.L.C., is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended,
for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological
support for, or goods or services to or in support of, al-Shabaab, a person whose property and
interest in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13224.
Cyprus-based Haleel Finance LTD, Haleel Holdings, and Haleel LTD are being designated
pursuant to E.O. 13244, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or
indirectly, Haleel Commodities L.L.C., a person whose property and interest in property are
proposed to be blacked pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended.
Kenya-based Haleel Commodities Limited and Crown Bus Services are being designated
pursuant to E.O. 13244, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or
indirectly, Mohamed Jumale Ali Awale, a person whose property and interest in property are
proposed to be blacked pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended.
Uganda-based Haleel Commodities LTD is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13244, as
amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Farhan Hussein
Hayder, a person whose property and interest in property are proposed to be blacked pursuant
to E.O. 13224, as amended.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the individuals and entities
named above, and of any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by
them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the
possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. OFAC’s
regulations generally prohibit all dealings by U.S. persons or within the United States (including
transactions transiting the United States) that involve any property or interests in property of
designated or blocked persons.
Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions with the individuals designated today entails risk
of secondary sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended. Pursuant to this authority, OFAC
can prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a
correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that
knowingly conducted or facilitated any significant transaction on behalf of a Specially
Designated Global Terrorist.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and
add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also
from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate
goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For
information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN
List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the
process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.
View identifying information related to today’s action.
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