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'''Project Cassandra''' was a task force headed by the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] (DEA) after evidence amassed that [[Hezbollah]] transformed itself from a Middle East-focused military and political organization into a global crime syndicate. The Obama White House at the highest levels thwarted the investigation as a concession to the government of Iran to win the ill-conceived [[Iranian nuclear deal]].

'''Project Cassandra''' was a task force headed by the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] (DEA) after evidence amassed that [[Hezbollah]] transformed itself from a Middle East-focused military and political organization into a global crime syndicate. The Obama White House at the highest levels thwarted the investigation as a concession to the government of Iran to win the ill-conceived [[Iranian nuclear deal]].

Between 2008–2016, agents working out of a top-secret DEA facility in Virginia, used wiretaps, undercover operations, and informants to map Hezbollah’s illicit networks, with the help of 30 U.S. and foreign security agencies.  

Between 2008–2016, agents working out of a top-secret DEA facility in Virginia, used wiretaps, undercover operations, and informants to map Hezbollah's illicit networks, with the help of 30 U.S. and foreign security agencies.  

Agents followed [[cocaine]] shipments, some from [[Latin America]] to [[West Africa]] and on to [[Europe]] and the [[Middle East]], and others through [[Venezuela]] and [[Mexico]] to the [[United States]]. They tracked the river of dirty cash as it was laundered. And with the help of some key cooperating witnesses, the agents traced the [[conspiracy]], to the innermost circle of Hezbollah and its state sponsors in [[Iran]].  

Agents followed [[cocaine]] shipments, some from [[Latin America]] to [[West Africa]] and on to [[Europe]] and the [[Middle East]], and others through [[Venezuela]] and [[Mexico]] to the [[United States]]. They tracked the river of dirty cash as it was laundered. And with the help of some key cooperating witnesses, the agents traced the [[conspiracy]], to the innermost circle of Hezbollah and its state sponsors in [[Iran]].  

As Project Cassandra reached higher into the hierarchy of the conspiracy, [[Obama administration]] officials threw an increasingly insurmountable series of roadblocks in its way. When Project Cassandra leaders sought approval for some significant investigations, [[prosecution]]s, [[arrest]]s and financial sanctions, officials at the Justice and [[US Treasury Department|Treasury department]]s delayed, hindered or rejected their requests.

As Project Cassandra reached higher into the hierarchy of the conspiracy, [[Obama administration]] officials threw an increasingly insurmountable series of roadblocks in its way. When Project Cassandra leaders sought approval for some significant investigations, [[prosecution]]s, [[arrest]]s and financial sanctions, officials at the Justice and [[US Treasury Department|Treasury department]]s delayed, hindered or rejected their requests.

The [[Justice Department]] declined requests by Project Cassandra and other authorities to file criminal charges against major players such as Hezbollah’s high-profile envoy to Iran, a Lebanese bank that allegedly laundered billions in alleged drug profits, and a central player in a U.S.-based cell of the Iranian paramilitary Quds force. And the [[State Department]] rejected requests to lure high-value targets to countries where they could be arrested.

The [[Justice Department]] declined requests by Project Cassandra and other authorities to file criminal charges against major players such as Hezbollah's high-profile envoy to Iran, a Lebanese bank that allegedly laundered billions in alleged drug profits, and a central player in a U.S.-based cell of the Iranian paramilitary Quds force. And the [[State Department]] rejected requests to lure high-value targets to countries where they could be arrested.

“This was a policy decision, it was a systematic decision,” said David Asher, Veteran U.S. illicit finance expert sent from [[Pentagon]] to Project Cassandra to attack the alleged Hezbollah criminal enterprise., who helped establish and oversee Project Cassandra as a [[United States Department of Defense|Defense Department]] illicit finance analyst. “They serially ripped apart this entire effort that was very well supported and resourced, and it was done from the top down.”

“This was a policy decision, it was a systematic decision,” said David Asher, Veteran U.S. illicit finance expert sent from [[Pentagon]] to Project Cassandra to attack the alleged Hezbollah criminal enterprise., who helped establish and oversee Project Cassandra as a [[United States Department of Defense|Defense Department]] illicit finance analyst. “They serially ripped apart this entire effort that was very well supported and resourced, and it was done from the top down.”

====Latin America====

====Latin America====

The 'Hezbollah's global finance network' includes "The Triple Frontier" (in [[South America]]) - "[[Argentina]], Brasil & [[Paraguay]]").<ref>http://www.meib.org/articles/0201_l2.htm</ref><ref>http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/HH03Aa01.html</ref>

The 'Hezbollah's global finance network' includes "The Triple Frontier" (in [[South America]]) - "[[Argentina]], Brasil & [[Paraguay]]".<ref>http://www.meib.org/articles/0201_l2.htm</ref><ref>http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/HH03Aa01.html</ref>

There's an extensive report on "Hezbollah and the Drug Trade in South America" - Hezbollah is active in the drug trade in [[Colombia]], a web of criminality that extends from Lebanon to Africa to South America.

There's an extensive report on "Hezbollah and the Drug Trade in South America" - Hezbollah is active in the drug trade in [[Colombia]], a web of criminality that extends from Lebanon to Africa to South America.

<ref>http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/testimony/313.pdf</ref>

<ref>http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/testimony/313.pdf</ref>

Douglas Farah wrote in 2006 on "Hezbollah’s External Support Network in West Africa and Latin America" that Hezbollah, has the largest financial structure in Latin America and it is similar to that of the organization’s Africa structure, that is to say, structured along family/clan lines. These clans have family members across the continent’s main free trade zones of [[Panama]], ([[Venezuela]]'s) Isla Margarita and the TBA (tri-border area), allowing for multiple opportunities to launder funds by over invoicing stocks, under invoicing merchandise and through the use of little-monitored electronic money transfer systems and bulk money smuggling. The first study of this overlapping clan structure spread across broad geographic areas was not undertaken until 2004.

Douglas Farah wrote in 2006 on "Hezbollah’s External Support Network in West Africa and Latin America" that Hezbollah, has the largest financial structure in Latin America and it is similar to that of the organization's Africa structure, that is to say, structured along family/clan lines. These clans have family members across the continent's main free trade zones of [[Panama]], ([[Venezuela]]'s) Isla Margarita and the TBA (tri-border area), allowing for multiple opportunities to launder funds by over invoicing stocks, under invoicing merchandise and through the use of little-monitored electronic money transfer systems and bulk money smuggling. The first study of this overlapping clan structure spread across broad geographic areas was not undertaken until 2004.

The TBA has for years drawn attention as a center for contraband smuggling, drug trafficking and large-scale [[money laundering]], in part because all of the countries whose borders are involved profit from the illicit trade. It is also an easy place to hide and move money. Estimates of the amount of drug money alone laundered through the two main urban centers in the TBA, Foz do Iguacu and Ciudad del Este, range as high as $12 billion a year.  

The TBA has for years drawn attention as a center for contraband smuggling, drug trafficking and large-scale [[money laundering]], in part because all of the countries whose borders are involved profit from the illicit trade. It is also an easy place to hide and move money. Estimates of the amount of drug money alone laundered through the two main urban centers in the TBA, Foz do Iguacu and Ciudad del Este, range as high as $12 billion a year.  

In 2008, Colombia smashed a drug ring tied to Hezbollah, Colombian authorities said that they had broken up a drug and money-laundering ring in an international operation that included the capture of three suspects from the Middle East who used profits from the drug trade to fund Hezbollah.

In 2008, Colombia smashed a drug ring tied to Hezbollah, Colombian authorities said that they had broken up a drug and money-laundering ring in an international operation that included the capture of three suspects from the Middle East who used profits from the drug trade to fund Hezbollah.

More than 100 suspects were arrested in Colombia and overseas on charges that they trafficked drugs and laundered cash for Colombia’s Norte del Valle cartel and outlawed paramilitaries, in a network that stretched from South America to Asia.

More than 100 suspects were arrested in Colombia and overseas on charges that they trafficked drugs and laundered cash for Colombia's Norte del Valle cartel and outlawed paramilitaries, in a network that stretched from South America to Asia.

"The criminal organization used routes through Venezuela, Panama, [[Guatemala]], the [[Middle East]] and [[Europe]], bringing in cash from the sale of these substances," the statement said.  

"The criminal organization used routes through Venezuela, Panama, [[Guatemala]], the [[Middle East]] and [[Europe]], bringing in cash from the sale of these substances," the statement said.  

<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/world/americas/22colombia.html</ref><ref>http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2008-10-22-voa37-66602227.html</ref>

<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/world/americas/22colombia.html</ref><ref>http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2008-10-22-voa37-66602227.html</ref>

A significant portion of the cash proceeds from the car sales was transported to Lebanon by a Hezbollah-controlled system of money couriers, cash smugglers, hawaladars and currency brokers. A network of money couriers controlled by Oussama Salhab, an alleged Hezbollah operative living in [[Togo]], transported tens of millions of dollars and [[Euro]]s from Benin to Lebanon through Togo and [[Ghana]]. Salhab and his relatives also own and control Cybamar Swiss GMBH LCC, a transportation company based in [[Michigan]] that was frequently used to ship cars to West Africa, as well as other entities involved in the scheme. Cash transported from West Africa was often received at the [[Beirut]] airport, where Hezbollah security safeguarded its passage to its final destination.

A significant portion of the cash proceeds from the car sales was transported to Lebanon by a Hezbollah-controlled system of money couriers, cash smugglers, hawaladars and currency brokers. A network of money couriers controlled by Oussama Salhab, an alleged Hezbollah operative living in [[Togo]], transported tens of millions of dollars and [[Euro]]s from Benin to Lebanon through Togo and [[Ghana]]. Salhab and his relatives also own and control Cybamar Swiss GMBH LCC, a transportation company based in [[Michigan]] that was frequently used to ship cars to West Africa, as well as other entities involved in the scheme. Cash transported from West Africa was often received at the [[Beirut]] airport, where Hezbollah security safeguarded its passage to its final destination.

This same used car, Hezbollah-controlled money laundering infrastructure is used to conceal and funnel hundreds of millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds from West Africa back to Lebanon. Ayman Joumaa’s drug trafficking organization, which operates in Lebanon, West Africa, Panama and Colombia, launders as much as $200 million in proceeds per month, through various channels, including bulk cash smuggling operations and Lebanese exchange houses. Joumaa’s organization uses Hezbollah couriers to transport and launder narcotics proceeds, and pays fees to Hezbollah operatives to facilitate the laundering of narcotics proceeds.

This same used car, Hezbollah-controlled money laundering infrastructure is used to conceal and funnel hundreds of millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds from West Africa back to Lebanon. Ayman Joumaa's drug trafficking organization, which operates in Lebanon, West Africa, Panama and Colombia, launders as much as $200 million in proceeds per month, through various channels, including bulk cash smuggling operations and Lebanese exchange houses. Joumaa's organization uses Hezbollah couriers to transport and launder narcotics proceeds, and pays fees to Hezbollah operatives to facilitate the laundering of narcotics proceeds.

In 2007 and 2008, approximately $1.2 billion in declared U.S. currency was transported across the Togo/Ghana border on its way from Benin to the airport in Accra, where the cash could be further shipped.

In 2007 and 2008, approximately $1.2 billion in declared U.S. currency was transported across the Togo/Ghana border on its way from Benin to the airport in Accra, where the cash could be further shipped.

====Abdallah Safieddine====

====Abdallah Safieddine====

Lebanese Hezbollah’s longtime envoy to Iran who allegedly oversaw the group's “Business Affairs Component” involved in international drug trafficking. Safieddine is a cousin to Lebanese Hezbollah boss [[Hassan Nasrallah]].

Lebanese Hezbollah's longtime envoy to Iran who allegedly oversaw the group's “Business Affairs Component” involved in international drug trafficking. Safieddine is a cousin to Lebanese Hezbollah boss [[Hassan Nasrallah]].

Safieddine oversees Hezbollah efforts to help Iran procure parts and technology for its clandestine nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Safieddine oversees Hezbollah efforts to help Iran procure parts and technology for its clandestine nuclear and ballistic missile programs.