Navy veteran accused of trying to use crypto to send ISIS money for drone, RPG attack on US troops

A Navy veteran is one of three men recently arrested for allegedly trying to pay more than $2,000 to a person whom they thought was a member of the Islamic State group, or ISIS, to buy rocket-propelled grenades and drones for an attack against U.S. troops overseas, officials said.

Bareen Dzayee, 25, was taken into custody on June 5 along with two other men, a Justice Department news release says. Prosecutors claim Dzayee suggested the drone attack target U.S. Special Forces, according to the Justice Department, according to the Justice Department.

Dzayee enlisted in the Navy in November 2021 and served until July 2024, reaching the rank of seaman, according to his service record, which was provided by the Navy.

After completing the service’s boot camp and Surface Warfare Engineering School in Illinois, Dzayee served on the destroyer USS John S. McCain from March 2022 to July 2024, his record says. KNSD, an NBC television station in San Diego, first reported that Dzayee had served in the Navy.

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Dzayee, of Lakeside, California, was arrested along with Bisaam Ghafoor and Elias Shamsaldeen, according to a complaint against all three men filed in federal court.

Prosecutors accuse all three men of “conspiring to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist,” between February 2025 and this month, according to the complaint, which Task & Purpose obtained through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records, or PACER system.

“Over [the] years, the individuals communicated about several plans to support ISIS, including through the provision of personnel, services, and money,” the complaint says. “Through chats, voice calls, and multiple messaging platforms, these conspirators pledged allegiance or ‘Bayat’ to ISIS and its leader.”

The FBI identified all three men after they allegedly made social media posts in support of ISIS, the complaint says.

Prosecutors accuse Dzayee and Ghafoor of communicating with an unnamed individual identified in the complaint as a “confidential human source,” whom they believed was an active member of ISIS. The two men allegedly offered to send the source money through cryptocurrency.

“As a follow-up to Ghafoor’s offer to send money, the [confidential human source] mentioned an opportunity to support ISIS with buying drones to attack American military personnel overseas,” the complaint says.

However, Dzayee subsequently said that he did not want to be associated with the money being sent for the attack, and he suggested that the transaction could be considered a “donation” for “charity,” according to the complaint.

Roughly half of the complaint details how the three men allegedly tried to find ways to provide money to the source and an FBI undercover employee while they expressed concern about getting caught. At one point, Dzayee allegedly told the source that he had attempted to send cryptocurrency from an ATM, but the funds never came through, the complaint says.

Later, Ghafoor “discussed options” with the FBI undercover employee about how to send cryptocurrency, according to the complaint. Ultimately, the source sent a link to Shamsaldeen so that he could send most of the money.

The complaint did not include any information indicating if Dzayee or the other two men are represented by attorneys.