Osemah Elhassen, a resident of Sydney, Australia, has been sentenced to 63 months in prison by a federal court for his role in an international conspiracy. He was involved in distributing hardened encrypted communication devices to criminal syndicates worldwide. This activity facilitated drug trafficking and other illegal activities.
Elhassen was one of the 17 defendants indicted in connection with Operation Trojan Shield, a global law enforcement initiative led by the FBI. The operation involved the covert management of an encrypted messaging network used by criminals, which resulted in numerous arrests globally.
The ANOM platform was central to this operation. Criminals using ANOM were unaware that their communications were monitored by the FBI, leading to over 27 million messages being intercepted before the platform's shutdown in June 2021.
In May 2024, Elhassen pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges related to the ANOM enterprise. As a distributor based in Colombia, he played a significant role in drug trafficking and money laundering operations. His activities included distributing ANOM devices and facilitating cocaine trade and financial transactions linked to criminal enterprises.
Government documents highlighted Elhassen's involvement in device distribution across Colombia and beyond. He also provided support services for these devices and managed subscription renewals.
Elhassen was apprehended in Colombia in June 2021 and extradited to California two years later. U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath remarked on his sentencing: “Despite use of sophisticated technology and extreme measures to conceal the criminal enterprise, Mr. Elhassen could not thwart federal investigators.”
Stacey Moy from the FBI emphasized that distributors like Elhassen were more than service providers; they enabled transnational criminal organizations: “Today’s sentence should send a strong message... The FBI will continue...to combat the ever-evolving threat posed by transnational criminal organizations.”
The case is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua C. Mellor, Mikaela L. Weber, and Peter S. Horn with assistance from international authorities including Colombian law enforcement.
Three co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, while others face trial or await extradition.
For further information on investigations related to encrypted communication providers, refer to available resources detailing similar cases involving platforms like Sky Global and Phantom Secure.
Operation Trojan Shield forms part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal networks through coordinated efforts across various law enforcement agencies.