Wakefield man sentenced for plot to support ISIS with gift cards

 A Wakefield man was sentenced to prison Thursday in federal court in Boston for knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources intended for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).

Mateo Ventura, 21, was arrested and charged in a complaint on June 8, 2023, and pleaded guilty to one count of concealment of financing of terrorism on Oct. 15. Ventura was convicted of providing multiple electronic gift cards to an individual he believed was an ISIS operative, intending that they be sold on the dark web for under face value with the profits being used to support ISIS. 

According to a press release from the Mass. Department of Justice, U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper sentenced Ventura to 50 months in prison followed by seven years of supervised release.

Ventura intended for the proceeds to be used for a “war on kuffar,” referring to disbelievers. He was under the impression that the money was being used to purchase ammunition and explosives. Ventura had also expressed a desire to fight alongside ISIS, and had attempted to purchase plane tickets with the plan of traveling to join the group, according to authorities.

Between January and May 2023, Ventura made donations totalling $705. He was alleged to have made additional donations of $965 between August 2021 and August 2022 before turning 18.