A quiet life on the East End may have masked a far darker past for a Bridgehampton man now facing serious federal charges tied to one of the 20th century’s worst atrocities.

Faustin Nsabumukunzi, 65, appeared in federal court in Central Islip on Friday for a status conference in a case that accuses him of lying on immigration documents to conceal his alleged involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Nsabumukunzi has lived and worked as a beekeeper and gardener on the East End of Long Island for more than two decades. But federal prosecutors allege that prior to arriving in the United States, he played a role in the mass killings in Rwanda.

According to court documents, Nsabumukunzi entered the U.S. as a refugee and later applied for permanent residency and U.S. citizenship. Prosecutors claim he made false statements on those applications, concealing his alleged role in the genocide. They say witnesses in Rwanda are prepared to testify that he participated in the atrocities more than 30 years ago.

Outside the courthouse, Nsabumukunzi declined to comment.

His defense attorney strongly denies the government’s claims, stating that Nsabumukunzi was not a perpetrator, but rather a victim of the genocide himself. The attorney also noted that the defense team has received limited information from prosecutors so far.

The government has extended a plea offer, though the terms of that offer have not been publicly disclosed.

Nsabumukunzi remains free on $250,000 bond. Another court conference is scheduled for next month, and the case is expected to go to trial roughly a year from now.