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California Resident Arrested for Allegedly Funding ISIS Activities

California Resident Arrested for Allegedly Funding ISIS Activities
Editorial
  • PublishedAugust 2, 2025

A man in Long Beach, California, was arrested on October 27, 2023, for allegedly sending funds to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) apprehended Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, 28, who is a permanent resident of the United States originally from the Philippines. He faces serious charges, including up to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization.

Investigators revealed that Villanueva had been in contact with two individuals claiming to be ISIS fighters through social media earlier this year. In these communications, he purportedly expressed his intent to support ISIS and offered financial assistance for the group’s operations. “It’s an honor to fight and die for our faith. It’s the best way to go to heaven,” Villanueva allegedly stated in a message to the ISIS fighters, adding, “Someday soon, I’ll be joining.”

Over a span of five months, Villanueva reportedly sent a total of $1,615 through Western Union to two intermediaries who were able to access these funds overseas. This activity was confirmed by records cited in a statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ). During his arrest, law enforcement officials discovered what appeared to be a bomb in Villanueva’s bedroom, as shown in photos shared on the FBI’s social media accounts.

Patrick Grandy, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “Mr. Villanueva is alleged to have financially supported and pledged his allegiance to a terror group that targets the United States and our interests around the world.”

The arrest of Villanueva highlights ongoing concerns regarding domestic terrorism and radicalization. Earlier this year, another individual, Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a former member of the Michigan Army National Guard, was apprehended after allegedly attempting to execute a mass shooting at a military base in Michigan on behalf of ISIS. Said was arrested on the planned day of the attack after he had visited the area near the base and launched a drone in support of his plot.

Prosecutors indicated that Said had offered to assist undercover law enforcement by training them in the use of firearms and constructing destructive devices, including Molotov cocktails. He was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device.

The recent arrests underscore the persistent threat posed by extremist groups and the ongoing efforts of federal agencies to combat domestic terrorism.

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