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The Ground Zero Mosque controversy is reigniting as the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, and new accusations against its chief financier adds to concerns about the money for the $100 million project. Those behind the Ground Zero Mosque have a history of shady financial dealings, and have not ruled out taking money from Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Allstate Insurance is suing Hisham Elzanaty, the Ground Zero Mosque's top financial backer, for running a "highly developed and sophisticated kickback scheme." He is alleged to have fraudulently set up medical facilities, despite not being a licensed professional. He then presented Allstate Insurance with inflated medical bills and engaged in illegal fee-splitting arrangements, it is claimed. He is being sued by Allstate for $5.1 million. State Farm and Geico separately sued Elzanaty this year for $1.9 and $1.7 million respectively on similar allegations of fraud.
Elzanaty donated $6,000 to the Holy Land Foundation in 1999, which was shut down by the federal government in 2001 for acting as a front for Hamas. The government's position was vindicated during the trial, and documents were introduced into evidence proving that the charity was set up by the Muslim Brotherhood to finance the terrorist group. Elzanaty says that he did not know of HLF's terrorism connection when he made the donation, as the charity said it was raising money for orphanages.