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Hiding in Plain Sight: The Gardener of Bridgehampton: Faustin Nsabumukunzi and the Echoes of Rwanda’s Genocide

1. Introduction: The Gardener of Bridgehampton and the Ghosts of Rwanda

In the tranquil, affluent community of Bridgehampton, New York, known more for its sprawling estates and summer retreats than international intrigue, the arrest of Faustin Nsabumukunzi in April 2025 sent ripples of disbelief. At 65, Nsabumukunzi was known locally as a gardener and an expert beekeeper, tending to hives in the exclusive enclave on Long Island. Yet, the charges unveiled by the U.S. Department of Justice painted a starkly different picture, linking this seemingly unassuming resident to the horrors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, an event that unfolded three decades earlier and thousands of miles away.

The core allegation brought forth by federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York is that Nsabumukunzi deliberately concealed his past when seeking refuge and residency in the United States. Specifically, he stands accused of hiding his alleged role as a “Sector Counselor”—a local government leader—and his purported participation as a perpetrator in the genocide to fraudulently gain entry into the U.S. as a refugee, subsequently obtaining lawful permanent residency (a green card), and later attempting to secure U.S. citizenship. The formal charges are one count of visa fraud and two counts of attempted naturalization fraud.

This report provides an in-depth investigation, drawing upon information contained within U.S. legal documents, Department of Justice statements, and news reports derived from these official sources. It examines Faustin Nsabumukunzi’s identity, his alleged position and actions as Sector Counselor in the Kibirizi sector during the 1994 genocide, the specific accusations leveled against him in the U.S. indictment, his life trajectory after fleeing Rwanda, a prior genocide conviction issued against him in absentia by a Rwandan court, and the ongoing U.S. legal proceedings. The objective is to synthesize the available facts into a coherent narrative that illuminates the complex facets of this case.

The case immediately presents a profound tension. On one side, the prosecution portrays Nsabumukunzi as an individual who participated in “heinous acts of violence abroad” , leveraging his local authority to facilitate murder and rape during one of the 20th century’s darkest chapters. On the other side, his defense attorney describes him as a “law-abiding beekeeper and gardener” who is himself a “victim of the Rwandan genocide,” having lost numerous family members to the violence.

This jarring contrast between Nsabumukunzi’s quiet, productive life in the Hamptons for over two decades and the extreme brutality detailed in the allegations against him echoes a disturbing pattern observed in other cases where individuals accused of mass atrocities are discovered years later living seemingly ordinary lives in new societies. It challenges assumptions about the nature of evil and the ease with which perpetrators might assimilate, shedding their pasts like old skin. Prosecutors explicitly highlighted this perceived duality, stating, “For over two decades, he got away with those lies and lived in the United States with an undeserved clean slate, a luxury that his victims will never have”. How Nsabumukunzi allegedly navigated this hidden history while building a life in America lies at the heart of the U.S. government’s case against him.

2. Faustin Nsabumukunzi: Identity and Life in the Hamptons

Official records confirm the identity of the man at the center of these allegations as Faustin Nsabumukunzi, aged 65 at the time of his arrest in April 2025, residing in Bridgehampton, New York. The federal indictment against him bears the docket number E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-138 (JS).

His journey to the United States began, according to Department of Justice statements and the indictment, in August 2003, when he applied for refugee resettlement. A 2006 profile in The New York Times, referenced in several news reports, provides a slightly different timeline, mentioning that he sought political asylum in 2004 after spending time moving between refugee camps following his departure from Rwanda. While the core timeframe of his arrival in the U.S. around 2003-2004 is consistent, this minor variation in dates and terminology (refugee resettlement vs. political asylum) might reflect different stages of the immigration process or simply a reporting nuance. The official court documents underpinning the indictment rely on the August 2003 application date.

Upon arriving in the U.S., Nsabumukunzi and his family were initially relocated to Houston, Texas, before eventually moving to Long Island, New York. He settled in Bridgehampton, an affluent community in the Hamptons. There, he established a life working primarily as a gardener and a beekeeper.

His expertise in apiculture was notable. Reports indicate that before fleeing Rwanda, Nsabumukunzi was a significant figure in the field, overseeing a large operation involving 150 beekeepers and 1,500 hives. He had reportedly taught beekeeping at universities and even developed a new type of bee box that gained widespread use in Africa. This expertise apparently led to employment opportunities in the Hamptons. The 2006 New York Times profile detailed his work with the Hamptons Honey Company, where he managed approximately 100 hives and was hired to help scale up production due to growing demand. However, the current owner of Hamptons Honey, Gabriel Alfaya, who acquired the company in 2009, told The New York Times following Nsabumukunzi’s arrest that he was unaware Nsabumukunzi had ever worked for the company and had never met him. This discrepancy might be explained by the change in ownership; Nsabumukunzi’s employment could have ended before 2009, or records from the previous ownership may have been incomplete.

Nsabumukunzi lived in Bridgehampton with his wife and their two children. Local news reported in 2022 that a fire destroyed the family’s home and nearly all their possessions.

Contrasting sharply with the portrait painted by prosecutors is the narrative offered by Nsabumukunzi’s defense attorney, Evan Sugar. Sugar described his client as “a law-abiding beekeeper and gardener who has lived on Long Island for more than two decades”. Crucially, the defense contends that Nsabumukunzi is not a perpetrator but rather “a victim of the Rwandan genocide who lost scores of family members and friends to the violence”. Some reports, citing the 2006 Times article or the defense, mention the loss of over 200 relatives. The defense maintains that Nsabumukunzi was “rightfully granted refugee status and lawful permanent residence” and intends to vigorously “fight these 30-year-old allegations” while asserting his innocence.

3. Context: Rwanda 1994 and the Role of Local Authority

To understand the gravity of the allegations against Faustin Nsabumukunzi, it is essential to grasp the context of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and the administrative structure through which it was implemented. The genocide unfolded over approximately 100 days, from April 7th to mid-July 1994, triggered by the assassination of Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira when their plane was shot down over Kigali on the evening of April 6, 1994.

What followed was a meticulously planned and ruthlessly executed campaign of mass murder, orchestrated by extremist elements within the majority Hutu population. The primary targets were the Tutsi ethnic minority, systematically dehumanized through vicious propaganda disseminated via newspapers and radio stations like Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), which referred to them as “cockroaches” (inyenzi) needing extermination. Moderate Hutus who opposed the genocide or were perceived as sympathetic to the Tutsi were also targeted. Within three months, an estimated 800,000 to over a million people were slaughtered, often by their own neighbors, using crude weapons like machetes and clubs. Hutu militias, notably the Interahamwe (“Those Who Attack Together”) and Impuzamugambi (“Those Who Have the Same Goal”), played a central role, alongside elements of the Rwandan army and police, in carrying out the killings and mobilizing the civilian population.

The efficiency and scale of the genocide were facilitated by Rwanda’s highly centralized and hierarchical administrative structure, which extended state control down to the most local levels. In 1994, the country was divided into prefectures (préfectures), each headed by a prefect (préfet). Butare, where Nsabumukunzi allegedly operated, was one such prefecture. Prefectures were subdivided into communes, administered by mayors (bourgmestres) ; Nsabumukunzi’s sector, Kibirizi, fell within the Nyaruhengeri commune. Communes were further divided into sectors (secteurs), each led by a Sector Counselor (Conseiller de Secteur) – the position Nsabumukunzi is alleged to have held. The lowest administrative unit was the cell (cellule), overseen by a cell responsible (responsable de cellule).

The Sector Counselor was thus a key figure in local governance. Academic research and trial transcripts indicate that these officials wielded considerable local authority. Prior to the genocide, they presided over mandatory weekly community gatherings, sometimes resembling traditional gacaca dispute resolution forums, addressing local issues. During the genocide, however, this existing administrative structure was weaponized. Sector Counselors became crucial conduits for transmitting orders from the central Hutu Power authorities down to the grassroots level. They were allegedly instrumental in mobilizing the local population and militias, organizing and directing violence, setting up roadblocks, convening “security” meetings to disseminate propaganda or instructions, and coordinating “civilian self-defense” efforts, which often served as a euphemism for attacks on Tutsi civilians. Their official position lent legitimacy to the calls for violence and ensured a degree of coordination in the implementation of the genocide at the sector level. Understanding this role is critical to evaluating the allegations against Nsabumukunzi, suggesting his purported actions were not random acts of violence but potentially abuses of the power vested in his official position within this deadly administrative machinery.

4. Allegations from Kibirizi: The Sector Counselor’s Actions

The specific allegations against Faustin Nsabumukunzi center on his actions within the Kibirizi sector of Nyaruhengeri commune, located in the Butare Prefecture of southern Rwanda, during the genocide period from April to July 1994. Butare Prefecture initially stood out as an area where local leadership, including the Tutsi Prefect Jean-Baptiste Habyarimana (no relation to the president), resisted the implementation of the genocide for the first two weeks. However, intense pressure from the interim government installed after the president’s assassination, including visits by high-level officials and the replacement of the prefect with a Hutu hardliner, eventually led to the eruption of massacres in Butare around April 20th, 1994. Kibirizi sector itself has been identified in post-genocide commemorations as a site where killings occurred with particular brutality, especially targeting women and children who had sought refuge, with accusations also leveled against Burundian Hutu refugees residing nearby for participating in the massacres.

According to the U.S. indictment and associated court filings, Nsabumukunzi, in his capacity as Sector Counselor, is accused of committing numerous grave acts during this period :

  • Overseeing and Directing Violence: He allegedly held a leadership position and used it to oversee the violence and killings of Tutsi civilians within the Kibirizi sector. This included directing groups of armed Hutus to locations where Tutsis were known to be sheltering, resulting in their deaths. One specific incident detailed in the indictment alleges that on or around April 21, 1994, Nsabumukunzi directed armed Hutu men to kill a group of Tutsis gathered at the administrative office grounds of the Nyaruhengeri commune.
  • Establishing Roadblocks: He is accused of setting up roadblocks, a common tactic used during the genocide to identify, detain, and kill Tutsis attempting to flee or move around.
  • Personal Participation in Violence: The indictment alleges Nsabumukunzi personally participated in killings and violence. During the alleged attack at the Nyaruhengeri commune office, he is accused of hitting Tutsis in the head with a club. Following this attack, he also allegedly directed the armed Hutu men to remove the bodies of the dead Tutsis from the grounds.
  • Facilitating Rape: Nsabumukunzi is accused of facilitating the rape of Tutsi women by verbally encouraging Hutu men to commit sexual violence against them. Rape was widely and systematically used as a weapon during the genocide, intended to torture, humiliate, and destroy the Tutsi group.
  • Deception: Prosecutors, citing witness interviews, allege that Nsabumukunzi engaged in lethal deception, falsely assuring Tutsis in public meetings that they would be protected, while simultaneously urging Hutus in private meetings to commence the killings.

These detailed allegations, stemming from the U.S. indictment and statements by prosecutors from the Department of Justice and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) , suggest a significant investigation involving witness accounts. The specificity of the alleged actions—encompassing command responsibility, direct participation with a weapon, incitement to rape, and calculated deception—paints a picture of deep involvement in the atrocities. The actions described align with the documented patterns of violence during the genocide and the known roles played by local authorities in orchestrating the killings. Furthermore, the context of Kibirizi as a sector noted for particular savagery lends a chilling backdrop to the accusations against the man who served as its Sector Counselor during those 100 days.

5. Justice from Afar: The Rwandan Conviction

A significant element cited in the U.S. legal proceedings against Faustin Nsabumukunzi is a prior conviction related to his alleged actions during the genocide. According to U.S. court filings and numerous news reports based on these documents, Nsabumukunzi was tried and convicted of genocide in absentia by a Rwandan court and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.

The term in absentia signifies that the trial and conviction occurred without Nsabumukunzi being physically present in court, a common situation when suspects have fled the jurisdiction following alleged crimes. While such convictions are legally permissible under Rwandan law for genocide cases, they can sometimes raise questions regarding fair trial rights in international legal contexts, particularly concerning the defendant’s ability to mount a defense. However, the U.S. Department of Justice presents this conviction as a factual part of Nsabumukunzi’s history in its filings related to the immigration fraud case.

The available sources consistently refer to the body that convicted Nsabumukunzi simply as “a Rwandan court” or “a Rwandan genocide court”. They do not explicitly state whether this was one of Rwanda’s conventional national courts or one of the thousands of community-based Gacaca courts established to handle the overwhelming caseload stemming from the genocide. Given that Gacaca courts tried the vast majority of genocide cases (over 1.9 million by some estimates ), particularly those involving local-level perpetrators and leaders like Sector Counselors, and that they had the authority to try cases in absentia and impose sentences up to life imprisonment (especially for Category 1 crimes, which included leadership in killings and rape ), it is highly probable that Nsabumukunzi’s conviction originated from a Gacaca court operating in his former sector or commune. However, without explicit confirmation in the provided materials, the precise nature of the Rwandan court remains unspecified. Regardless of the specific venue, the core point established in the U.S. legal documents is that a judicial body in Rwanda found Nsabumukunzi guilty of genocide based on his alleged actions in 1994.

This conviction forms part of Rwanda’s broader, multi-layered effort to achieve justice and reconciliation in the aftermath of the genocide. This effort included the United Nations-backed International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) based in Arusha, Tanzania, which prosecuted high-level leaders ; the national court system, handling planners and those accused of the most serious atrocities ; and the Gacaca courts, designed to process the cases of mass participation at the community level, foster truth-telling, and promote reconciliation. Nsabumukunzi’s in absentia conviction represents one facet of this complex and unprecedented transitional justice process.

6. The American Chapter: Immigration and Alleged Deception

The charges currently faced by Faustin Nsabumukunzi in the United States stem directly from his interactions with the U.S. immigration system over nearly two decades. The timeline, as laid out by the Department of Justice, is as follows:

  • August 2003: Nsabumukunzi applied for refugee resettlement in the United States.
  • November 2007: He successfully applied for and received lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a green card.
  • 2009 and 2015: He submitted applications seeking naturalization as a United States citizen.

The crux of the U.S. government’s case is the allegation that Nsabumukunzi secured these immigration benefits through deliberate deception. Prosecutors contend that on his applications for refugee status, permanent residency, and citizenship, Nsabumukunzi repeatedly lied under penalty of perjury. Specifically, he is accused of falsely denying any involvement as a perpetrator in the Rwandan genocide. The indictment further alleges he falsely denied having been an employee of the Rwandan government during the genocide period.

The prosecution argues that these alleged falsehoods were material—that is, they were significant lies that influenced the decision to grant him entry as a refugee and later award him permanent resident status. By allegedly concealing his past actions and his role as a Sector Counselor during the genocide, Nsabumukunzi was able, according to the government, to live and work freely in the United States for over twenty years, benefiting from an “undeserved clean slate” denied to his alleged victims.

This legal strategy—prosecuting for immigration fraud rather than directly for the underlying international crimes—is a recognized approach employed by the United States and other countries to address accountability for atrocities committed abroad. Direct prosecution for genocide that occurred outside U.S. territory, particularly for events pre-dating certain specific U.S. statutes, presents significant jurisdictional and legal hurdles. However, prosecuting individuals for making false statements or concealing material facts during the U.S. immigration process falls squarely within domestic jurisdiction. This avenue focuses on upholding the integrity of the U.S. immigration system, ensuring that individuals who may have participated in serious human rights violations do not gain safe haven through deceit. While the charges are technical violations of immigration law (visa fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a) and attempted naturalization fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1425 (a) and (b) ), the severe potential penalty—a maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted on all counts —underscores the gravity with which the U.S. government views such alleged deception when linked to participation in genocide.

Table 1: Timeline of Key Events: Faustin Nsabumukunzi

Date/PeriodEventCitations
1994 (April-July)Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi occurs. Nsabumukunzi serves as Sector Counselor in Kibirizi, Nyaruhengeri commune. Alleged acts of directing/participating in killings, establishing roadblocks, and encouraging rape occur.
Date UnknownConvicted of genocide in absentia by a Rwandan court, sentenced to life imprisonment.
August 2003Applies for refugee resettlement in the United States.
November 2007Obtains US Green Card (Lawful Permanent Residence).
2009Submits first known application for US Naturalization.
2015Submits second known application for US Naturalization.
April 22, 2025Federal grand jury indictment returned.
April 24, 2025Arrested in Bridgehampton, NY; Indictment unsealed charging visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud. Arraigned, pleads not guilty, released on $250k bond with conditions.

7. The Reckoning in Central Islip: US Legal Proceedings

The quiet life Faustin Nsabumukunzi had built over two decades in the United States came to an abrupt halt on Thursday, April 24, 2025 (some initial reports cited April 25th, likely due to reporting timelines). Federal agents arrested him at his home in Bridgehampton as an indictment, returned by a grand jury two days prior, was unsealed. Later that day, he was arraigned at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, New York, before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert.

Prosecutors added a dramatic detail to the arrest narrative, stating in court documents (specifically, a detention memo arguing against bail) that when the charges related to concealing his alleged role in the Rwandan genocide were described to Nsabumukunzi, he responded: “I know I’m finished”. This alleged statement, presented by the prosecution, carries significant weight. While its precise meaning is open to interpretation—it could be seen as an admission related to the genocide allegations, the immigration fraud, or simply an expression of despair at the sudden unraveling of his life—it stands in stark contrast to the defense’s portrayal of him as an innocent victim intending to fight the charges. The admissibility and interpretation of this alleged utterance will likely be a point of contention as the legal proceedings unfold.

At the arraignment, Nsabumukunzi pleaded not guilty to the charges of visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud. Despite the severity of the underlying allegations of genocide participation and the existence of a life sentence in absentia from Rwanda, and despite prosecutors arguing for his detention as a flight risk and potential danger , Judge Seybert granted Nsabumukunzi release on a $250,000 bond. The bail decision reflects the specific nature of the U.S. charges (immigration fraud) and standard American legal considerations regarding bail, which primarily focus on ensuring the defendant’s appearance in court and protecting the community pending trial for the specific offenses charged. Nsabumukunzi’s long-term residence in the U.S. without prior criminal record, coupled with established community ties, likely influenced the decision. His release came with strict conditions, including home detention and GPS monitoring. He was, however, permitted to continue working as a gardener for a private equity executive on Long Island, who reportedly signed his bond.

Nsabumukunzi is represented by attorney Evan Sugar. If convicted on all counts of immigration fraud, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. As standard in the U.S. legal system, the charges in the indictment remain allegations, and Nsabumukunzi is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

8. Conclusion: An Unsettled Past

The case of Faustin Nsabumukunzi encapsulates a complex and deeply unsettling narrative. For over two decades, he lived a seemingly unremarkable life as a gardener and beekeeper in the affluent setting of Bridgehampton, New York, known for his apicultural skills and family life. Yet, this quiet existence has been shattered by grave allegations connecting him to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. U.S. federal prosecutors accuse him of leveraging his position as a local Sector Counselor in the Kibirizi sector to direct and participate in horrific violence, including killings and rape, and subsequently concealing this past to fraudulently gain entry and residence in the United States. Adding weight to these accusations is a prior conviction for genocide, handed down in absentia by a Rwandan court, carrying a life sentence.

The juxtaposition is stark: the prosecution’s portrait of a perpetrator of “heinous acts” living with an “undeserved clean slate” versus the defense’s claim of a “victim” who lost family and intends to fight the charges. His alleged statement upon arrest, “I know I’m finished” , further complicates the narrative, standing in tension with his formal plea of not guilty.

Nsabumukunzi’s case highlights several broader, critical themes. It underscores the long and arduous pursuit of justice and accountability in the aftermath of mass atrocities, demonstrating that the shadows of such events can stretch across decades and continents. It exemplifies the use of immigration law as an imperfect but viable tool for addressing international crimes when direct prosecution is challenging, focusing on the integrity of national borders and immigration systems while implicitly seeking accountability for violence committed elsewhere. Perhaps most disturbingly, it illustrates the potential capacity for individuals implicated in extreme violence to shed their pasts and integrate into new societies, raising profound questions about identity, concealment, and the nature of evil.

For the survivors of the Rwandan genocide, the discovery of alleged perpetrators living freely abroad represents a continued source of pain and a reminder of the impunity that many enjoyed. The prosecution’s pursuit of Nsabumukunzi, focused legally on immigration fraud but morally rooted in the genocide, represents one effort to rectify what they term an “undeserved clean slate.” As Faustin Nsabumukunzi awaits trial in the United States, presumed innocent under law, his case serves as a potent reminder that the past, particularly one scarred by genocide, remains unsettled and continues to demand reckoning.

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  39. “Over 14 Million Pages of Gacaca Court Archives Indexed.” France Génocide Tutsi, francegenocidetutsi.org/Over14MillionPagesOfGacacaCourtIndexedTnT30042023.pdf.
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  43. “18 – The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.” Transcript, ICTR-05-88. Unified Court Records, International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, ucr.irmct.org/LegalRef/CMSDocStore/Public/English/Transcript/NotIndexable/ICTR-05-88/TRS13751R0000613618.DOC.
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