Teen accused of offering reward playing cards to assist help terrorist group

BOSTON — An 18-year-old Massachusetts man despatched reward playing cards value a complete of $1,670 to somebody he thought was a supporter of the Islamic State group that he meant for use to fund a battle on nonbelievers, federal prosecutors stated Thursday.

Mateo Ventura, of Wakefield, was held pending a bail listening to subsequent Wednesday throughout an preliminary look Thursday in U.S. District Court in Worcester. He is charged with knowingly concealing the supply of fabric help or assets to a overseas terrorist group, the U.S. legal professional’s workplace in Boston stated in a press release.

An electronic mail looking for remark was left with Ventura’s federal public defender.

His father, Paul Ventura, stated exterior of courtroom that his son has studying and developmental points and is being “railroaded” by federal authorities.

“My son said, ‘Dad, I don’t understand, I didn’t do anything wrong,’” when the FBI got here to the door and arrested him Thursday morning, Paul Ventura stated.

Ventura needed the reward playing cards to be offered on the darkish net for barely lower than face worth with the ensuing proceeds for use to help the Islamic State group, prosecutors stated.

Between August 2020 and August 2021, Ventura offered about 25 playing cards with a complete face worth of $965 to somebody he thought was an Islamic State group sympathizer however was really an undercover FBI agent, in keeping with an FBI affidavit included in courtroom paperwork. Ventura was nonetheless a juvenile on the time.

He offered one other $705 in reward playing cards between January and May after turning 18, authorities stated.

The playing cards ranged in worth from $10 to $100. Most have been from the Google Play Store, however some have been from GameStop, Amazon and even Dick’s Sporting Goods, in keeping with federal authorities.

Ventura, utilizing an internet encrypted messaging software, additionally expressed a need to journey abroad and struggle with the Islamic State group, in keeping with the affidavit. He even went as far as to purchase an airline ticket to Cairo in April, however he by no means departed and he didn’t reschedule or cancel his flight, the affidavit says.

The encrypted messaging software utilized by Ventura has change into one of many Islamic State group’s “primary communication tools, and is used by its adherents and supporters … to communicate their support for ISIS and to plan attacks,” the affidavit stated.

On one event, Ventura despatched an audio file to the secret agent pledging his allegiance to the Islamic State caliphate, in keeping with paperwork.

Ventura additionally contacted the FBI and supplied to reveal details about future terror assaults in change for $10 million, in keeping with the affidavit, which incorporates a number of textual content exchanges with the secret agent which might be crammed with Arabic phrases.