Detroit Man Gets 9 Years for Concealing Bitcoin Donations Meant for ISIS

Prosecutors say he hid cryptocurrency transfers to a supposed ISIS contact following a recorded pledge of allegiance.

Overview

A federal judge sentenced Jibreel Pratt, 26, on Nov. 13 to nine years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of concealing donations intended for ISIS.
Court records state Pratt contacted a confidential source in February 2023, expressed a desire to travel to join the group, and recorded a video pledging allegiance to its leader.
In March and May 2023, he sent Bitcoin that he believed would pay for others to travel to join ISIS and support an individual he thought would commit violence for the group.
Prosecutors say he shared documents and handwritten notes proposing tactics including using drones and remote‑controlled cars to deliver explosives, organizing intelligence operations, and improving air defenses.
Authorities say he tried to obscure the transfers with a privacy-focused VPN and encryption app, and the FBI Detroit Joint Terrorism Task Force led the investigation with federal prosecutors handling the case.