Treasury Department Subpoenas Hasan Piker and CodePink's Medea Benjamin Over March Cuba Trip

On May 23, 2026, federal officials served administrative subpoenas — formally called "Requests for Information" — to Hasan Piker and Susan Medea Benjamin, according to Fox News Digital.

The subpoenas came from the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, known as OFAC. The office enforces economic sanctions against countries like Iran, Russia, and Cuba.

Piker is one of the most-watched political streamers on Twitch, with a self-described Marxist worldview and millions of followers. Benjamin co-founded CodePink, the anti-war activist group.

Both traveled to Cuba in March as part of the "Nuestra América Convoy" — or "Our America Convoy" — a delegation of roughly 650 people from 33 countries and 120 organizations, according to Fox News reporting on AOL.

What Investigators Are Examining

The subpoenas seek financial records, logistical information, and communications tied to the trip.

Federal investigators want to know whether Piker, Benjamin, and others financed, coordinated, or delivered goods to Cuba in violation of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations — U.S. law that restricts most commercial and financial dealings with the island.

Specifically, investigators are examining whether members of the convoy stayed at hotels on the State Department's Cuba Restricted List, which flags businesses tied to the Cuban state, according to Times Now News.

Additional subpoenas are expected, per Fox News.

The Broader Investigation

Investigators from Treasury, State, and Justice are all involved in a coordinated, multi-agency inquiry.

The investigation connects to a larger network. According to Fox News Digital, Neville Roy Singham — a tech tycoon and husband of CodePink co-founder Jodie Evans — has pumped $278 million into nonprofits that push pro-China, pro-Cuba, and anti-U.S. narratives dating back to February 2017.

CodePink itself received $1.33 million from Singham after he married Evans.

Evans was also on the March trip. She's reportedly being investigated too.

The organizations that led the Nuestra América Convoy include the Venceremos Brigade, People's Forum (a communist causes hub in New York City), and Democratic Socialists of America, among others.

The subpoenas to Piker and Benjamin are entry points into a larger network of financial and organizational connections.

How Coverage Has Framed This

Left-leaning outlets have largely characterized this as government overreach against activists and a streamer. Right-leaning outlets, meanwhile, lead with "Marxist political influencer" — emphasizing the culture-war angle over legal substance.

The core legal question concerns sanctions enforcement and a foreign influence money trail. U.S. sanctions on Cuba are federal law. They apply equally to everyone — celebrities, influencers, activists, and regular citizens. Publicly documenting your trip on Instagram, as Piker did on March 10 when he posted "I'M GOING TO CUBA," does not exempt you from those laws.

The First Amendment protects speech. It does not protect financial transactions that violate federal sanctions law.

The Legal Framework

U.S. law does include exemptions to Cuba sanctions — for journalism, humanitarian work, and educational activities, according to Times Now News.

Piker and Benjamin will likely claim one or more of those exemptions. Whether this specific trip qualifies is what investigators are attempting to determine.

An administrative subpoena from OFAC is not an indictment. It is a demand for information. Ignoring it or providing false information carries serious legal consequences.

Implications

Any American who traveled to Cuba with a politically organized delegation, brought supplies, and met with government-linked entities could face similar inquiries.

A foreign billionaire directing $278 million into U.S.-based activist groups pushing anti-American foreign policy narratives represents a legitimate national security concern. The financial connections merit serious examination.