Hasan Piker Investigated for Possible Violation of Cuba Sanctions

Left-wing political influencer Hasan Piker has responded to reports of a U.S. federal investigation into his alleged violation of U.S. laws and sanctions by visiting Cuba. According to Fox News Digital, Piker was served a subpoena in relation to his trip to the Caribbean island in March, alongside Susan Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the activist group CodePink. The report cites documents from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Addressing his audience during a livestream on Sunday, Piker stated, “the news is not great, OK? I mean, it’s bullsh**, but still not great that they’re after your boy. They’re up my a**.” He joked with viewers chanting “free me,” responding: “Yeah, free me. Free me. Free me. I can’t believe I’m saying that.”

Investigative analyst Stu Smith, posting on X, remarked, “for all the bravado, Hasan clearly understands this is serious.” According to Smith’s report, Piker received a voicemail informing him of his subpoena and requesting a comment. “I got a text message, or rather a voicemail, from a Fox News producer saying that I had been subpoenaed by the federal government,” Smith quoted Piker as saying. “Before I could even respond to the journalist, an article materialized on the timeline.” Newsweek has been unable to confirm the subpoenas and has reached out to both OFAC and Piker for comment.

What Is The Piker Investigation About?

In March, Piker shared a photo on Instagram captioned, “I’M GOING TO CUBA.” However, U.S. sanctions on Cuba, primarily under the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR), restrict most economic dealings between U.S. citizens and Cuba unless licensed, with exceptions for journalism, humanitarian projects, educational programs, and activities supporting the Cuban people. During his livestream, Piker asserted, “everything we did was cleared by Treasury.” Along with Benjamin, he is involved in a federal investigation to determine if activists traveling to Cuba in March violated U.S. sanctions laws against the Communist regime, according to Fox News Digital.

The report states that subpoenas, known as “Requests for Information” or RFI, seek financial, logistical, and communications data about the March trip to Cuba, which Piker and Benjamin promoted alongside the “Nuestra América Convoy” delegations. Fox News Digital reported that the convoy, comprising 650 delegates from 33 countries and 120 organizations, was led by organizations within the Singham network. Delegation members allegedly stayed at a hotel on a “Cuba Restricted List,” identified by the U.S. State Department as linked to the Cuban government, designated as a state sponsor of terrorism. According to sources, the group reportedly supplied materials to Cuba’s ruling Communist Party.

No charges have been filed, but Fox suggests a strict approach by the Trump administration against foreign influence inside the U.S. and activities supporting movements classified as terrorism by the government. Piker criticized the U.S. Justice Department’s indictment of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro, labeling it a “sham” lacking “legal standing.” He stated during his livestream that the focus of the investigation includes his support of anti-Israel voters and candidates, not solely his trip to Cuba.