KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Lee's Summit man is among three people accused of assisting militia groups in Cameroon, Africa, with kidnappings and ransoms, among other things.
Claude N. Chi, 40, of Lee's Summit, was charged in a four-count indictment, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri’s office announced Monday.
Francis Chenyi, 49, of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Lah Nestor Langmi, 46, of Buffalo, New York, were also charged.
Federal prosecutors alleged Chi has supported and raised money for separatist fighters in Cameroon since 2018.
They also say Chi has held a senior-level position with Ambazonian Restoration Forces, a militant separatist group in Cameroon.
According to court documents, Chi allegedly conspired to kidnap Cameroonians and hold them for ransom.
In some cases, Chi extorted Americans for ransom payments to secure the release of kidnapped relatives living in Cameroon.
He's also accused of raising money for equipment, supplies, weapons and explosive material used in attacks against the Cameroonian government.
Prosecutors announced the following charges against Chi and the other two defendants:
- Conspiracy to provide material support or resources intended to be used to carry out a conspiracy to kill, kidnap and maim persons in a foreign country;
- Providing material support or resources intended to be used to carry out a conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States;
- Receiving money from a ransom demand and one count of participating in a money laundering conspiracy
If convicted, Chi faces up to a combined 38 years in prison for the three charges.
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