Long Beach man federally charged for allegedly sending money to ISIS
Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, 28, faces 20 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Prosecutors say that Villanueva, a lawful permanent resident from the Philippines, communicated with multiple people who claimed to be ISIS fighters via social media. During their conversations, Villanueva allegedly expressed desire to support ISIS, offering to send money to support their activities.
Court documents also say that Villanueva told one of the self-identified ISIS fighters that he wanted to fight for them, saying, "It's an honor to fight and die for our faith. It's the best way to go to heaven. ... Someday soon, I'll be joining."
Villanueva also allegedly told the other individual that he had a bomb and knives, according to the DOJ's release. When he was arrested on Friday morning, FIB investigators recovered what looked to be a bomb from his bedroom.
A message sent by Villanueva in Feb. 2025, he offered to send one of the two ISIS fighters money, asking if it would "cover your equipment and weapons," the DOJ release said. He allegedly discussed sending the money through an intermediary, and Western Union records show that he sent a dozen different payments totaling $1,615 over five months to two intermediaries that accessed the funds from overseas.
"Supporting a terrorist group, whether at home or abroad, is a serious risk to our national security," said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli in a statement. "We will aggressively hunt down and prosecute anyone who provides support or comfort to our enemies."
Villanueva was expected to make his initial court appearance on Friday afternoon.
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