Only in St. Louis cont.

ST. LOUIS -- Federal prosecutors announced today the indictment of 14 people in a wide-ranging racketeering and fraud case in which money from criminal activities in the United States was being funnelled to the Palestinian territories.

Since 2000, the organization has profited from bank fraud, the selling of stolen property and contraband cigarettes and conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business, federal prosecutors said.

U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway said the Hamed organization, led by Bassam Hamed, 33, may be responsible for $1.5 million in criminal activity. At least $250,000 has been tracked to have ended up in Palestinian "entities."

Although the FBI's joint terrorism task force was involved in the investigation, officials would not comment about whether terrorism was involved.

From the Post-Dispatch, which I'm sure left out most of the really fun details, like locations.