An Ohio man has been arrested and charged with lying about his involvement in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi to obtain U.S. citizenship, federal authorities announced Thursday.
Eric Tabaro Nshimiye, 52, is accused of living a double life for nearly three decades. Prosecutors say he portrayed himself as a victim of the genocide while hiding his alleged participation in the killings.
“For nearly 30 years, Nshimiye allegedly hid the truth about crimes he committed during the Rwandan genocide,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The United States will not be a safe haven for war criminals.”
Prosecutors allege Nshimiye, a medical student at the time, was a member of the Hutu extremist party and its violent youth wing, the Interahamwe. Court documents detail accusations of Nshimiye killing Tutsis, including a 14-year-old boy, with machetes and nail-studded clubs. He is also accused of participating in the rape of Tutsi women.
Nshimiye fled Rwanda after the genocide and immigrated to the United States in 1995. While living in Ohio, he allegedly lied to immigration officials and continued to conceal his past to obtain citizenship.
The charges stem from an investigation into Nshimiye’s former classmate, Jean Leonard Teganya, who was convicted of lying about his own involvement in the genocide to gain asylum in the U.S. Prosecutors say Nshimiye lied during Teganya’s trial, claiming neither of them participated in the killings.
Nshimiye faces charges of obstruction of justice, perjury, and falsifying information. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
