Project Cassandra


Project Cassandra is an effort led by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to undercut Hezbollah funding from illicit drug sources. Launched in 2008, the project was said to be investigating the terrorist organization's funding. According to the DEA, Hezbollah has become increasingly involved with drug trafficking and organized crime as a method of funding its activities. The investigation was tracking how large sums of money were being laundered from the Americas, through Africa, and to Lebanon into Hezbollah's coffers. The Obama administration halted Project Cassandra as it was approaching the upper echelons of Hezbollah's conspiracy in order to seal a nuclear deal with Iran, even though Hezbollah was still funneling cocaine into America.
Josh Meyer wrote an investigative report published by Politico in December 2017, described how, during the Obama administration, concerns regarding the Iran nuclear deal took precedence over the DEA project.