NJ Woman Sentenced to 34 Months in Prison For Concealing Terrorist Financing

A woman from Sussex County has been sentenced to 34 months in prison for concealing her attempts to provide material support to Syrian foreign terrorist organizations.

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U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger says 55-year-old Maria Bell, a.k.a. "Maria Sue Bell," of Hopatcong, previously pleaded guilty in federal court and her sentence was imposed on Tuesday.

According to documents filed in this case,

Bell admitted that from February 2018 to November 2018 she knowingly concealed and disguised the nature, location, source, ownership and control of the attempted provision of material support and resources to fighters based in Syria who were members of Jabhat Fath al-sham, also known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS) and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Bell admitted that she knew JFS and HTS were designated foreign terrorist organizations, that JFS and HTS has engaged or engages in terrorist activities. She admitted the offense to which she pleaded guilty involved the concealment of the attempted provision of funds or other material support or resources with the intent, knowledge, or reason to believe they were to be used to commit or assist in the commission of a violent act.

In addition to the prison term, Bell was also sentenced to five years of supervised release.

Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, with the investigation leading to Bell's sentencing.