Wakefield man, 18, arrested for alleged plot to help ISIS with reward playing cards

An 18-year-old from Wakefield was arrested Thursday for allegedly buying and sending a number of digital reward playing cards to an individual he believed to be an ISIS operative, with the understanding that the playing cards can be offered to help the terrorist group. 

Mateo Ventura faces one depend of knowingly concealing the supply of fabric help or sources to a international terrorist group, based on Appearing U.S. Legal professional Joshua S. Levy’s workplace.

In complete, he’s alleged to have despatched $1,670 in digital reward playing cards.

Ventura’s arrest is the fruits of an investigation that started in August 2021. It was then that Ventura allegedly started speaking with an undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS supporter. They used an encrypted messaging service recognized by legislation enforcement officers for its use amongst ISIS supporters, based on an affidavit filed by FBI agent Paul Lagno Wednesday.

Ventura initially contacted the spy to be taught extra about “making hijrah,” a time period that refers to touring abroad to battle with ISIS, based on the affidavit. Ventura allegedly informed the spy that he wished to grow to be a fighter for the group. 

Ventura allegedly mentioned that he had “talent in weapons” and “would perform shaheed [martyr] operation if wished.”

“If finished proper they’ll kill many kuffar [disbeliever],” Ventura allegedly mentioned when requested why he wished to assist ISIS. 

Ventura allegedly mentioned he may be taught Arabic and despatched an audio file containing a pledge of allegiance to ISIS’s chief. 

The spy requested Ventura if he can be desirous about offering financial donations to ISIS, and the 2 organized for the transmission of codes from digital reward playing cards bought by Ventura, based on the affidavit. When requested what he would need the cash for use for, Ventura allegedly informed the spy that the playing cards needs to be offered on the darkweb, with the assumption that this might allow the funds for use to immediately help the “battle in opposition to kuffar,” or disbelievers. 

Final September, Ventura allegedly informed the spy that he may not journey to hitch ISIS as a result of he bought harm in a fall and will “not stroll.” Lagno discovered that Ventura had not truly been injured and will stroll, based on the affidavit.

In February, legislation enforcement officers discovered that Ventura had booked flight tickets six separate occasions inside a one hour interval for a visit to the Center East, however no type of fee was entered and the tickets weren’t issued, based on the affidavit.

On April 10, Ventura purchased a ticket for a Turkish Airways flight from Boston to Cairo departing that night, Lagno wrote. Ventura despatched a screenshot confirming the flight itinerary to the spy.

However Ventura by no means left his dwelling that night time. He didn’t cancel or reschedule the flight both, based on the affidavit.

At about 10:50 p.m. on April 10, the FBI acquired an nameless tip allegedly made by Ventura requesting $10 million in alternate for details about imminent assaults.

Ventura contacted the FBI a number of occasions within the following days, telling brokers that he knew about upcoming terrorist assaults and eager to “make the deal,” Lagno wrote.

FBI brokers informed Ventura that the knowledge he supplied was not particular sufficient to be actionable, Lagno wrote. Ventura allegedly later informed brokers that he accepted the FBI’s resolution and requested that they not contact him once more.

“There may be spy’s in you’re ranks,” Ventura allegedly informed the spy on April 21.

Between August 2021 and August 2022, whereas nonetheless a juvenile, Ventura allegedly despatched 26 reward playing cards totaling $965. From January to Might 2023, after he turned 18, Ventura allegedly despatched 16 reward playing cards totaling $705 to the spy with the understanding that the cash from their resale can be used to help ISIS and its fighters. 

The cost of knowingly concealing the supply of fabric help or sources to a international terrorist group gives for a sentence of as much as 10 years in jail, as much as a lifetime of supervised launch, and a high quality of as much as $250,000.