In a congressional hearing on February 26, 2025, Gregg Roman, executive director of the Middle East Forum (MEF), unveiled that over $122 million in U.S. foreign aid has been channeled to organizations with ties to Hamas, Hezbollah, and Al-Qaeda affiliates. Invited by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), Roman called for a criminal investigation into federal officials and charity leaders involved in these disbursements.
“This isn’t merely about fraud or mismanagement,” Roman asserted. “It’s a direct threat to American national security, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
Roman’s testimony highlighted several alarming instances:
- World Vision & Islamic Relief Agency (ISRA): In 2014, World Vision allocated a $125,000 sub-grant to ISRA, an organization linked to Al-Qaeda’s precursor. Despite whistleblower warnings, the funding proceeded.
- Helping Hand for Relief and Development: This NGO received over $70,000 from USAID in 2021, even though it had associations with the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
- Jammal Trust Bank (Lebanon): Funds were directed to this Lebanese bank, later designated for financing Hezbollah.
- Bayader & Unlimited Friends Association (UFA): These entities have connections to senior Hamas figures allegedly involved in attacks against Israel and have publicly advocated for violent actions against Jews.
Roman criticized USAID’s inadequate vetting and oversight mechanisms, which he believes have led to the misallocation of funds and jeopardized U.S. security. He proposed immediate reforms, including suspending new aid obligations pending a comprehensive audit, enhancing vetting and transparency, legislative action to enforce stricter penalties, and a formal referral to the Department of Justice for potential criminal conduct.
In response, Rep. Greene expressed her commitment to addressing the issue, stating, “If USAID funded terrorism that resulted in the death of Americans, then this committee will be making criminal referrals.”
This hearing underscores the critical need for stringent oversight of foreign aid programs to prevent funds from inadvertently supporting terrorist activities.