Authorities say a Long Beach man accused of sending money to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria — commonly known as ISIS — and saying he wanted to “die for our faith” was arrested today on federal charges after the FBI recovered what appeared to be a bomb in his bedroom.
Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, 28, is charged in Los Angeles federal court with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, a felony carrying a possible sentence of up to 20 years behind bars, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Villanueva, a lawful permanent resident from the Philippines, was scheduled to make his initial appearance Friday in Los Angeles federal court.
Court papers allege Villanueva communicated via social media with two people who self-identified as ISIS fighters. During the communications, Villanueva discussed his desire to support ISIS and offered to send money to the ISIS fighters to support their terrorist activities, prosecutors contend.
According to the DOJ, Villanueva told one of the self-identified ISIS fighters that Villanueva wanted to fight for ISIS himself, stating, “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.”
He allegedly told the other individual that he possessed a bomb and knives. According to prosecutors, during Villanueva’s arrest Friday morning, the FBI recovered what appeared to be a bomb from Villanueva’s bedroom.
In a February 2025 message with one of the self-identified ISIS fighters, Villanueva offered to send the individual money, and asked whether the money would “cover your equipment and your weapons,” the DOJ alleged.
Villanueva apparently discussed sending the money through an intermediary. According to Western Union records, Villanueva then sent a dozen payments totaling $1,615 during a five-month period to two intermediaries who accessed the money overseas, prosecutors said.
“Supporting a terrorist group, whether at home or abroad, is a serious risk to our national security,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. “We will aggressively hunt down and prosecute anyone who provides support or comfort to our enemies.”