In Central Islip, New York, a man faced arrest on Thursday after federal agents discovered he allegedly concealed involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide when applying for both a green card and U.S. citizenship. Faustin Nsabumukunzi, now 65 years old and residing in Bridgehampton, was accused of hiding his position as a local leader during the genocide, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 800,000 Tutsis over a span of three months. The charges were presented in an indictment unsealed in Long Island.
During his initial court appearance, Nsabumukunzi entered a not guilty plea to charges of visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud. He was subsequently released on bail set at $250,000, which includes conditions of home detention and GPS monitoring, though he retains permission to continue working as a gardener. His lawyer, Evan Sugar, painted a different portrait of Nsabumukunzi, describing him as a law-abiding gardener and beekeeper who has resided on Long Island for over twenty years. Sugar argued that his client himself suffered from the genocide, having lost numerous family members and friends to the conflict, and maintains his rightful claim to refugee status and lawful permanent residency.
Prosecutors, however, have a contrasting narrative. In a detention memo, they drew upon witness testimonies indicating that while Nsabumukunzi publically reassured Tutsis during public meetings of their safety at the genocide’s onset, he covertly encouraged Hutus to commence killing Tutsis. Witnesses claimed Nsabumukunzi participated in murders within his administrative zones and further provoked Hutu men to use rape against Tutsi women as a method of genocide. When arrested, prosecutors report that Nsabumukunzi acknowledged the charges by stating, “I know I’m finished.”
Court documents reveal that Nsabumukunzi had been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Rwandan court for genocide charges which he was convicted of in absentia. Allegedly, he exploited his leadership status to coordinate operations aimed at exterminating Tutsis and was accused of setting up roadblocks to capture and kill Tutsis during the atrocity. In 2003, Nsabumukunzi applied to enter the U.S. as a refugee, achieved green card status by 2007, and later pursued citizenship in 2009 and again in 2015. Authorities assert that his applications included false claims denying any genocidal involvement.
Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division condemned the actions, highlighting how Nsabumukunzi carried out violent acts abroad and subsequently misled his way to acquiring U.S. residency and seeking citizenship. U.S. Attorney John J. Durham underscored the gravity of the deception, noting that Nsabumukunzi managed to evade accountability in the U.S. for over two decades, granting him a life of undue freedom—a privilege his victims will never experience.