The Department of Homeland Security is investigating a nonprofit organization with alleged ties to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, focusing on claims that it may have funneled donor funds to a Palestinian group sanctioned by the U.S. The New York Post reported Friday that federal authorities are probing the U.K.-based entity known as PFF, which reportedly has substantial funding to support anti-Israel causes.
Sources familiar with the organization's operations described PFF as a "strategic foundation that is large, well-funded, and institutional in quality." The nonprofit states on its website that it partners with organizations that can deliver results aligned with its strategic objectives, asserting that "PFF and its partners are unequivocally committed to justice, peace, inclusion and non-violence."
According to the report, Bassema Yousef, a New York-born ally of Mayor Mamdani and a significant Democratic donor now residing in London, is considered a key figure in PFF's fundraising efforts. Yousef has publicly expressed anti-Israel sentiments, alleging that Israel commits "war crimes with U.S. tax dollars."
The report indicates that Yousef established PFF with financial backing from two prominent donors: Basil Qunibi, an investment executive based in Austin, Texas, and Yasser Shahin, a Palestinian-Australian motorsports magnate. Corporate filings in the U.K. and confirmation from the IRS regarding PFF's nonprofit arm in Delaware support Shahin's involvement.
The Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit declined to comment on the specifics of any ongoing investigations. A DHS spokesperson told The Post that HSI does not comment on the existence or status of particular investigations or the methods and sources used within them.
The Post's report noted that the investigation, as described, does not indicate any criminal wrongdoing. PFF's stated mission includes financing anti-Israel messaging and supporting pro-Palestinian activists.