The US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program is offering “a reward of up to 10 million dollars for information that disrupts Hezbollah’s financial operations.” Designated by the US as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, Hezbollah has operated in Latin America since the 1980s, particularly in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, according to the statement.
Hezbollah is linked to several deadly attacks in the Western Hemisphere, including bombings in Argentina and Panama, the RFJ program says. Today, its supporters in the TBA run extensive illicit revenue schemes: trade-based money laundering, narcotics trafficking, smuggling of goods, fake documents, and counterfeiting. Commercial businesses in construction, real estate, and import-export trade also serve as funding fronts.
The RFJ reward seeks actionable intelligence on Hezbollah’s financial activities, including donor contributions, front companies, illicit transactions, and organized fundraising networks. US authorities aim to choke off funding pipelines and expose facilitators operating in the Western Hemisphere.
Hezbollah was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997 and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2001. Its assets in US jurisdiction are frozen, and Americans are barred from supporting or transacting with the group.
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