Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information that leads to the disruption of the financial mechanisms of Hizballah. Ali Saade is a Hizballah financier operating in Guinea. Saade initiates money transfers from Guinea to Hizballah, transferring funds through Hizballah representatives in Guinea and Lebanon.
As recently as 2020, a group of Guinea-based Lebanese businessmen including Saade and Hizballah financier Ibrahim Taher flew from Guinea to Lebanon on a special flight with a large amount of money. The group claimed the money was to aid the COVID-19 situation in Lebanon, thereby avoiding scrutiny. COVID-19 relief has been previously used as a cover for transferring funds from Guinea to Lebanon for Hizballah.
Saade is suspected of using fishing boats for illicit activity, such as narcotics trafficking.
On March 4, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Saade as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 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, Hizballah. As a result of this designation, among other consequences, all property, and interests in property, of Saade that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with Saade. In addition, it is a crime to knowingly provide, or attempt or conspire to provide, material support or resources to Hizballah, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.
