Rwandan Genocide ‘Mastermind’ Arrested in US After Decades on the Run

A 65-year-old man living quietly in Dayton, Ohio, has been arrested and indicted for allegedly lying on his U.S. immigration documents to cover up his involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Vincent Nzigiyimfura, also known as Vincent Mfura, is accused of playing a direct role in organizing and facilitating mass killings during one of the deadliest ethnic genocides in modern history. His arrest on June 12 follows a federal grand jury indictment on one count of visa fraud and two counts of attempted naturalization fraud.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Nzigiyimfura was not merely a bystander during the 100-day genocide, which claimed between 500,000 and 800,000 lives. Authorities allege that while working as a businessman and butcher in Rwanda’s Southern Province, he helped plan and coordinate attacks against the Tutsi population, including setting up roadblocks to trap fleeing civilians, distributing weapons to Hutu extremists, and luring victims out of hiding with false promises of safety—only to have them killed.

“Vincent Nzigiyimfura directed and encouraged murders during the genocide in Rwanda and then lied to U.S. authorities to start a new life in this country,” said DOJ Criminal Division head Matthew Galeotti. “The United States is not a safe haven for human rights violators.”

Following the end of the genocide in mid-1994, Nzigiyimfura fled to Malawi. Around 2008, he applied for a U.S. visa, falsely claiming he was a genocide victim. Despite being warned that fraudulent information could lead to prosecution, he maintained this story and was granted entry into the United States in 2009.

Years later, in 2014, he applied for U.S. citizenship and reaffirmed his false narrative during an interview with immigration officers. Although he was denied citizenship, he successfully renewed his green card in 2019—using it to obtain an Ohio driver’s license.

Authorities say Nzigiyimfura’s lies allowed him to hide in plain sight for years, but a coordinated investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center eventually led to his arrest.

“No one wants a war criminal as their neighbor,” said Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Detroit. “His indictment and arrest is a step toward justice for those victims.”

If convicted on all charges, Nzigiyimfura faces up to 30 years in federal prison.