That’s according to a newly unsealed complaint, filed in Utah’s U.S. District Court over the weekend. If convicted, each man could face life in prison.
It’s the latest development in the story that broke last year after armed rebels attempted to oust DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe.
The ringleader, 41-year-old Christian Malanga, was shot and killed by DRC security forces during the attack on May 19, 2024 — his son and three associates were captured and sentenced to death by Congolese authorities. But on Tuesday, they were repatriated to the United States, and on Wednesday, the 82-page complaint against them was unsealed.
Now, Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, have all been charged with various counts of conspiracy.
The failed takeover left at least six people dead, including Malanga, and 37 facing execution. For the past year it has made headlines worldwide, particularly for the Americans’ involvement and videos and images of the attack and capture that spread online.
Now back in the U.S., the four men, if convicted, could be sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. They also face a possible 15-year sentence for conspiracy to provide material support and resources.
Marcel Malanga and Thompson could each face an additional 15-year sentence for taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony.
Malanga, Thompson and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, but will likely appear in Salt Lake City for further proceedings. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on Thursday, April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City.
Read the full report at UtahNewsDispatch.com.
