Treasury Department Probes CodePink’s Cuba Trip Amidst Increased Nonprofit Scrutiny

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink, publicly confirmed that the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has requested detailed information regarding CodePink’s trip to Cuba in March. This inquiry fits within a broader move by the Trump administration aimed at increasing federal oversight of nonprofits involved in foreign-policy areas. In a related development, President Trump earlier directed agencies to enhance enforcement against nonprofits tied to political violence.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that nonprofits can’t evade legal responsibility if their resources are misused for unlawful activities. He outlined an impending IRS policy where nonprofits must have knowledge about their grant beneficiaries.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control, responsible for implementing U.S. sanctions on Cuba, contacted CodePink about their activities tied to the Cuba convoy. According to Benjamin, significant information has been demanded from her organization. Despite the seemingly informal delivery and initial finding of the request in a spam box, the seriousness and breadth of information requested remain.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control enforces U.S. sanctions on Cuba, which restrict transactions with the communist government and require compliance with licensing and record-keeping for permitted activities.

The inquiry includes questions like travel logistics, accommodations, and specific activities conducted during the trip. Benjamin mentioned roughly 170 participated in the convoy, suggesting a potentially overwhelming level of detail could be required.

Despite criticism on how the inquiry was handled, Benjamin confirmed CodePink has brought approximately $600,000 in aid to Cuba. The inquiry may aim to dissuade American participation in humanitarian initiatives with Cuba; however, CodePink intends to persist with its efforts.

While Hasan Piker, an associated political streamer, has not confirmed receipt of the inquiry, he speculated the investigation might target Neville Roy Singham, an American tech tycoon alleged to have invested in groups like CodePink and alleged to spread pro-China views. CodePink and BreakThrough News remain active in protests, supported by Piker on his streams.