Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is under fresh scrutiny after the New York Post reported his father, Imam Dr. Mohammed El-Sayed, serves on the board of Life for Relief and Development — a charity the U.S. previously accused of moving money into Saddam Hussein’s former Iraqi regime.
What documents show
The Western Journal article, citing the New York Post, says Mohammed El-Sayed is a board member of Life for Relief and Development. It adds that tax documents indicate his involvement since at least 2020.
What the government alleged
According to the Western Journal’s summary of federal allegations, the U.S. government accused Life for Relief and Development of funneling money from the United States through Jordan into Iraq, asserting that “highest management levels” knew of the transfers.
Raids and a later settlement
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that in 2004 the U.S. military and FBI raided the group’s Baghdad operations, seizing “12 computers and 20 boxes of files,” amid suspicions the organization was helping insurgents. The Western Journal also notes the Washington Free Beacon’s report that the group reached a $780,000 settlement with the federal government in 2014, after which the case was dropped. Additionally, the charity was raided by the FBI in 2006 in connection with alleged illegal money distribution in Iraq, according to the Western Journal’s account.
Campaign stakes and escalating rhetoric
The Western Journal frames the Michigan Senate race — pitting El-Sayed against Republican Mike Rogers — as crucial to the chamber’s balance of power and states Republicans currently hold a 53–47 majority. It also says Rogers has criticized El-Sayed over his stance on Israel and alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Former President Donald Trump amplified the controversy, calling El-Sayed a “Jihadist member of the Muslim Brotherhood” and claiming he “wants our Country to go to Sharia Law,” in a Truth Social post on Oct. 25, 2026. Those are Trump’s assertions.
What’s missing
The Western Journal article does not include responses from Abdul El-Sayed, Mohammed El-Sayed, or Life for Relief and Development. It also does not reproduce the cited tax filings or federal case documents.
