World Food Program USA, a United Nations-backed charity formerly chaired by Hunter Biden, is continuing to support board member Basil Qunibi despite a federal investigation into his alleged connections to a $100 million network supporting anti-Israel messaging. The organization removed its leadership roster from its website days after The Post revealed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inquiry.
Qunibi, founder of Austin-based Atom Investors, is reportedly being scrutinized by federal investigators for his involvement with a UK-based organization referred to as a political 'war chest' that provides funding and support for Palestinian activists. Australian billionaire Yasser Shahin and Democratic fundraiser Bassema Yousef are also reportedly involved in the network.
A spokesperson for World Food Program USA stated that Qunibi remains a member of its Board of Directors and attributed the removal of leadership profiles from the website to routine IT maintenance, which is expected to conclude by the following week. The charity's donation portals and other sections of its website remained operational.
Hunter Biden chaired World Food Program USA from 2011 to 2015. The organization serves as the U.S. fundraising arm for the United Nations' World Food Programme, which combats global hunger.
Federal investigators are examining the cross-border financial flows associated with the anti-Israel advocacy network and exploring possible links to sanctioned organizations. While authorities have not charged Qunibi, Shahin, or Yousef with any wrongdoing, Qunibi's representatives have since indicated he personally donated to the network, according to a source close to the financier.
Shahin, a prominent motorsport champion, made his fortune with his family's chain of gas stations and convenience stores. UK corporate filings confirm his role in establishing the UK-based network. The controversy extends to Australia due to Atom Investors' ties to the nation's sovereign wealth fund and Shahin's high profile.
Public records also indicate philanthropic connections between allies of Atom Investors and Palestinian groups. Abbas Zuaiter, an advisory board member at Atom and former chief operating officer at Soros Fund Management, chairs the investment arm of the Palestinian charity Taawon. Taawon has previously partnered with Al-Haq, a West Bank legal group designated a terrorist organization by Israel in 2021. The U.S. government sanctioned Al-Haq last September for aiding International Criminal Court efforts against Israeli officials. Al-Haq denies the terrorism allegations and condemned the sanctions.
Zuaiter and his wife established a donor-advised fund that directed support to Taawon's Gaza relief projects, according to public filings and media reports. Donor-advised funds are a standard philanthropic mechanism, and no U.S. sanctions have been levied against Taawon or the Michigan-based fund.