Northshore family accused of funding Hamas, defrauding Medicaid of $224K

COVINGTON, La. (WVUE) - Authorities arrested five St. Tammany Parish residents and accused them of defrauding the Louisiana Medicaid Program of more than $224,000. Two of the suspects are also accused of providing more than $100,000 to a network that funneled more than $1.7 million to Hamas, according to Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Office.

A joint federal and state investigation led by the FBI found that Abdel Adhami and Omar Adhami, both of Covington, had participated in a campaign to help fund Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

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The Louisiana Bureau of Investigation then worked with the Louisiana Department of Health to investigate possible Medicaid fraud.

Between 2021 and 2025, the suspects and their families underreported their income to receive Medicaid benefits, defrauding the program of more than $224,000.

Authorities arrested all five suspects and booked them into the St. Tammany Parish Jail on Sept. 15.

Abdel Adhami, 35, and his wife, Iman H. D. Srour, 29, are each accused of five counts of government benefits fraud and one count of theft over $25,000, both felonies. The estimated loss tied to the couple is $113,344.

Omar Adhami, 33, and his wife, Amani Abu Zenah, 28, are each accused of three counts of government benefits fraud and one count of theft over $25,000, both felonies. The estimated loss tied to the couple is $81,099.

Mohammad I. Adhami, 32, brother of Omar and Abdel Adhami, is accused of three counts of government benefits fraud and one count of theft over $25,000, both felonies. The estimated loss tied to him is $30,197.

The arrests resulted from a joint investigation involving the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, FBI, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Hammond Police Department, Mandeville Police Department and Louisiana State Police.

St. Tammany Parish District Attorney Collin Sims will prosecute the state case.

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