Justice Department Announces Anticipated Distribution of at Least $2B to Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism in 2026

Today, Special Master Mary Patrice Brown announced that she will authorize sixth-round payments for all eligible claims in the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (the Fund) by Jan. 1, 2026. The Fund, which continues to collect deposits, anticipates that the sixth distribution will be at least $2 billion. The amounts available for this distribution come from qualifying federal enforcement actions and the termination of the Beirut barracks / Khobar Tower reserve fund.

“It is a privilege for the Criminal Division to administer the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which has provided more than $7 billion to victims of state sponsored terrorism since its founding,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement of a distribution of at least $2 billion to victims in 2026 is the largest general distribution in the Fund’s history and will make a significant difference in victims’ lives. Victims are at the heart of everything we do at the Criminal Division, and we are proud to support them through our administration of the Fund.”

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