A federal jury in Kansas City has convicted two U.S. citizens, Francis Chenyi, Sr., 52, of Saint Paul, Minnesota, and Lah Nestor Langmi, 49, of Buffalo, New York, for their involvement in a conspiracy to provide material support to separatist fighters in Cameroon. The verdict was delivered on December 8 after a trial that began earlier this month.
The charges stem from actions that included sending funds and equipment to separatist groups in Cameroon’s Northwest Region. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, these resources were intended for use in constructing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and carrying out attacks involving weapons of mass destruction.
Both men were found guilty of conspiring to provide material support or resources for conspiracies to kill, kidnap, and maim persons abroad and for using a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States. They were also convicted on one count each of international money laundering conspiracy related to transferring funds from the United States to Cameroon to promote these activities.
Chenyi received an additional conviction for conspiring specifically to provide material support and resources for the use of a weapon of mass destruction overseas.
United States Attorney R. Matthew Price stated: “As the verdict indicates whether you’re committing a crime locally or – as in this case – supporting illegal conduct half a world away – when you conspire to violate federal law, we will hold you accountable.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus added: “The guilty verdict brings to close a conspiracy by a group of U.S. Citizens of Cameroonian origin to support a plot that, among other acts, included kidnapping Cameroonian civilians and holding them for ransom. Their actions also included providing equipment, supplies, and weapons to a separatist movement for the purpose of carrying out attacks against the government of Cameroon and its personnel. We are grateful for the verdict, and it should send a strong message to anyone in the United States looking to provide support to these types of acts across the world.”
A third individual involved in the case, Claude Ngenevu Chi, 43, from Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty last month to one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources for using a weapon of mass destruction abroad.
Evidence presented during trial showed that Langmi sent messages directing separatists in Cameroon regarding kidnappings and provided information about potential targets’ movements. After one such kidnapping involving both a traditional leader and Catholic Cardinal Christian Tumi in November 2020—who were taken after an encounter with Cameroonian forces—Chenyi supplied interrogation questions and facilitated fund transfers through peer-to-peer transactions.
Further evidence indicated Chenyi’s involvement with ransom payments made by individuals outside Cameroon for hostages’ release within Cameroon. Both Chenyi and Langmi coordinated with others about funding IED construction; they approved purchases necessary for making explosives used by separatist fighters.
In December 2020 specifically, Chenyi agreed with Chi on providing funds needed for building multiple IEDs ahead of an election-related lockdown effort by separatists. These funds were transferred via peer-to-peer systems from the U.S.
Langmi was also implicated in working with an unindicted co-conspirator on developing IEDs and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), updating Chenyi about progress. He attempted coordination around attacks near major events like the 2021 African Cup of Nations soccer tournament hosted by Cameroon as well as other locations throughout spring 2022.
After less than two-and-a-half hours’ deliberation following presentation of evidence before Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark at U.S. District Court in Kansas City—the jury returned guilty verdicts yesterday.
Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after presentence investigations are completed by probation officials. Under federal law each defendant faces up to 15 years imprisonment on conspiracy charges related to providing material support or resources; they may receive up to 20 years on international money laundering convictions as determined by court guidelines.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean T. Foley and Joseph M. Marquez prosecuted this case with help from Justice Department’s National Security Division; FBI Kansas City Field Division led the investigation.
