Trump Administration Subpoenas Streamer Hasan Piker, CodePink’s Medea Benjamin in Cuba Probe
Federal officials have issued administrative subpoenas to Twitch streamer Hasan Piker and CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin as part of an expanding investigation into whether U.S.-based activists violated sanctions laws during a recent delegation trip to Cuba, according to Fox News Digital.
The subpoenas were issued by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and seek financial, logistical, and communications records tied to the March travel activity.
Investigators are examining whether participants coordinated travel arrangements, transferred goods, or engaged with Cuban government-linked entities in ways that may have run afoul of federal sanctions restrictions.
The inquiry centers on a delegation known as the “Nuestra América Convoy,” a multinational activist trip that brought together hundreds of participants from various organizations.
Federal officials are reviewing whether any aspect of the travel—including funding, lodging, or coordination—was conducted through entities or channels restricted under U.S. sanctions law.
OFAC subpoenas, formally known as “Requests for Information,” are administrative tools used in civil enforcement investigations.
They allow the Treasury Department to compel documents without filing criminal charges and are commonly used to determine whether further enforcement action is warranted under the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, which broadly prohibit unlicensed transactions involving Cuba with limited exceptions for humanitarian, educational, or journalistic activity.
At this stage, officials have not announced any charges or allegations of criminal wrongdoing.
However, the investigation is part of a broader federal effort involving Treasury, State, and Justice Department officials focused on sanctions enforcement, foreign influence concerns, and potential coordination between activist networks and foreign government entities.
Piker, one of the most widely followed political streamers online, has previously drawn controversy for his outspoken commentary on U.S. foreign policy and geopolitical issues.
Benjamin, a long-time activist with CodePink, has been a visible figure in anti-war demonstrations and international solidarity campaigns that frequently challenge U.S. foreign policy positions.
Both are now part of a wider review examining whether participants in the March delegation complied with federal sanctions requirements governing travel and related transactions involving Cuba.
Piker responded to the scrutiny during a livestream, acknowledging the investigation while pushing back on the implications.
“I’m not gonna lie to you guys. It’s not great. The news is not great, Okay. Um, I mean, it’s bullsh*t, but…still not great that they’re, you know, they’re after your boy. They’re up my *ss,” he said.
The federal probe is also reportedly examining whether nonprofit organizations or affiliated networks played any role in facilitating logistics or coordination for the trip.
Officials are looking broadly at whether activist travel networks may have interacted with sanctioned entities or structured arrangements in ways that could violate U.S. law.
Under federal sanctions law, OFAC enforcement can proceed through civil or criminal channels.
Civil penalties operate under a strict liability standard, meaning intent is not required for violations. Criminal cases, by contrast, require prosecutors to establish willful conduct, often involving evidence of deliberate evasion or concealment.
Legal analysts note that administrative subpoenas do not imply guilt but are often an early step in determining whether enforcement action is necessary.
Additional subpoenas are expected as investigators continue reviewing financial records, travel coordination, and organizational ties connected to the delegation.
The investigation remains ongoing, and no charges have been filed.
WATCH:
Continue Scrolling for the Comments
Leave a Comment