A Guy Accused of Taking Cash From ISIS Says He Was Just Trying to 'Scam Some Money'

A Maryland man busted by the FBI for allegedly receiving around $10,000 [€9,150] from ISIS through online transfers earlier this year says he was actually just trying to scam money out of the terrorists and that, when you think about it, he should really "be offered a job to work with the FBI" because of it, according to the criminal complaint.

The FBI claims they have evidence that 30-year-old Mohamed Elshinawy (or "Mo Jo" for short) took at least $8,700 [€7,960] from the terrorist organization and initially tried to say some of the money was to "purchase an iPhone for his friend."

"When confronted by the FBI, he lied in order to conceal his support for [ISIS] and the steps he took to provide material support to the deadly foreign terrorist organization," Assistant Attorney General Carlin said in a DOJ statement.

Once Elshinawy realized the FBI knew the money came from terrorists, he copped to the fact that one of his childhood friends in Syria had reached out over social media to connect him with ISIS operatives who began to funnel him money. According to Elshinawy, though, he was just trying to do his patriotic duty and "take money from 'thieves,'" with no intention of carrying out a terrorist attack.

At the time of writing, the FBI had yet to make Elshinawy a job offer.