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Who is Mark Lorenzo Villanueva? Long Beach man who sent money to ISIS arrested with bomb in his bedroom
Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, a Long Beach resident, has been arrested for allegedly creating a homemade bomb and funding ISIS.
Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, a 28-year-old man from Long Beach, California, has been arrested as federal investigators charged him with building what looked to be a homemade bomb inside his house and providing financial support to ISIS.
FBI investigators stormed the home of Villanueva, a legal resident of the United States originating from the Philippines, on Friday morning, leading to his detention. Villanueva wired money abroad to individuals he thought were ISIS combatants, showed sympathy for the terrorist organization in online chats, and even asserted that he had the means — and the desire — to commit acts of violence himself, according to federal prosecutors.
Here's what Villanueva's neighbors, FBI officials said
In an interview with KTLA, neighbors said they never doubted Villanueva and had no idea about his intentions.
“I don’t know what to think. It’s kind of scar. You see your neighbors, but you don’t see what they’re doing inside their house,” stated Heliodoro Becerra, KTLA reported
The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force agents stated that they found an improvised explosive device (IED) and multiple knives in Villanueva's bedroom. According to reports, the gadget had red and black wires attached, was wrapped in cellophane, and was packed with ball bearings.
The United States Attorney's Office provided photographs of the object.
'It's an honor to fight and die…' says Villanueva
Villanueva allegedly used social media to correspond with people purporting to be ISIS soldiers, vowing loyalty and conveying an intention to join their cause. Prosecutors said he wrote, “It's an honor to fight and die for our faith. It's the best way to heaven.”
“Someday soon, I'll be joining,” he allegedly added, as per KTLA.
He also gave financial aid. According to court records, Villanueva requested one alleged ISIS contact if his money could help pay for guns and equipment. Between February and July 2025, Villanueva transferred a dozen payments totaling $1,615 via Western Union to intermediates who accessed the funds overseas, as per documents.
