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Uzbek man referred to prosecution for funneling $627,000 to terrorist group with fake ‘African well project’

Published: 03 Nov. 2025, 14:08 Updated: 03 Nov. 2025, 19:50

A 29-year-old Uzbek national who allegedly supports Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (KTJ), a UN-designated terrorist organization, is seen running a local football club and collecting funds from fellow Uzbek members in Gyeonggi. [GYEONGGI NAMBU PROVINCIAL POLICE]

Police have referred an Uzbek man accused of disguising a terrorist fund-raising operation as a charity drive for an “African well project” to the Suwon District Prosecutor's Office in what investigators say is the largest stash of terrorist funds ever uncovered in Korea.

Experts say the case highlights how the country’s openness to foreign residents can be exploited as a financial conduit for extremist networks.

Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police said the man, a follower of Syria-based extremist group Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (KTJ), raised approximately $627,000 in cryptocurrency over three years through a fake charitable organization.

The 29-year-old was referred to prosecutors last Tuesday on charges of violating several laws: the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Act on Prohibition Against the Financing of Terrorism and the Act on the Collection of Donations.

The suspect entered Korea in March 2018 on a student visa, but later dropped out of university. Between June 2022 and October, he allegedly raised 626,819 units of Tether (USDT), a cryptocurrency stablecoin pegged to the United States dollar, under the guise of a charity organization. Police said the amount marks the biggest terrorism funding case ever found in Korea.

However, this is not the first time the KTJ group has surfaced in Korea.

In July, a Central Asian student who sent cryptocurrency worth 770,000 won ($540) to KTJ was sentenced to 10 months in prison by the Busan District Court of appeals for violating the law prohibiting the financing of terrorism.

Another Uzbek national, an undocumented worker, was given a one-year prison sentence suspended for two years by the Ulsan District Court in September after transferring about 800,000 won to KTJ.

Authorities said these cases show a recurring pattern of foreign nationals in Korea sending money to overseas terrorist organizations. KTJ, believed by the UN to be acting under the direction of international terrorist organization al-Nusrah Front, a branch of Al Qaeda, is known for supplying funds, weapons and personnel as well as carrying out attacks.

Investigators from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Precinct’s security investigation division read the Miranda warning to a 29-year-old Uzbek man suspected of supporting Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (KTJ), a UN-designated terrorist organization, during his arrest. [GYEONGGI NAMBU PROVINCIAL POLICE]

Investigators found that the 29-year-old Uzbek national collected terrorist funds while posing as a charity worker. He ran a local football club for fellow Uzbek nationals in Gyeonggi and solicited donations from them. On social media, he posted photos of refugees and called for participation in “jihad,” or holy war.

The suspect joined KTJ in 2022 and reportedly fled to Korea after being wanted in his home country. Police said he insisted during questioning that “KTJ is not a terrorist organization.”

In contrast, the Central Asian student and undocumented Uzbek worker were believed to have been persuaded by KTJ members through personal connections or messaging platforms such as Telegram. According to a report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published in July, terrorist groups often disguise themselves as nonprofit branches or use overseas contacts to collect money, as they are unable to use formal financial systems in their own countries.

Under the Act on Prohibition Against the Financing of Terrorism, anyone who collects, provides, or stores funds for terrorist purposes faces up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 100 million won.

Korean courts have consistently held that “providing funds to terrorist organizations violates human dignity and sustains groups that seek to commit atrocities, and therefore warrants strict punishment.”

While law enforcement agencies have stepped up investigations, experts say the decentralized nature of these activities makes detection difficult and calls for broader preventive efforts.

Yi Soo-jeong, a professor at Sogang University’s Euro-MENA Research Institute, said “some individuals seem to be drawn to extremist ideologies through YouTube, and end up sending money.”

She added that “since it’s easy to connect [with recruiters] through social media, similar cases can happen anywhere, anytime. It’s important to raise awareness that such acts are punishable by severe penalties.”

Lee Hee-soo, professor emeritus of cultural anthropology at Hanyang University, noted that the recent arrested 29-year-old’s actions were organized and deliberate, while other cases appeared to be more personal.

“The two suspects might not have intended to support Al Qaeda itself. They may have believed they were contributing to their community or responding to a request from family or people they couldn’t refuse.”

Still, he stressed, “sending money to terrorist groups is illegal, and the government must continue closely tracking these activities and isolating related networks.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM CHANG-YONG [[email protected]]