Election Fraud Cases
Details
Alba Fernandez successfully registered to vote using the name Bunny Kohn, a false name. Fernandez voted under the false alias three times by absentee ballot in 2016. She also voted three times under her legal name, once in-person and twice by absentee ballot. She pleaded no contest to three counts of casting more than one ballot in an election and one count of submitting false voter registration information, which are all felony charges. Fernandez was sentenced to 4 years of probation and fined $518.
Source: bit.ly/32HyUI9 , bit.ly/3etHUTM , bit.ly/3ExHpm7
Details
While working for People United for Medical Marijuana, Tomika Curgil submitted at least 15 fake voter registrations - using both fake names and names of the deceased - and five voter registrations which she filled out without the voters' consent. When investigators surveilled Curgil during a registration campaign day, she did not leave her house; however, she still submitted several absentee ballots. She was found guilty and given probation.
Source: bit.ly/2pRIEbx, hrld.us/2J4JWc6
Details
Jerome "J.D." Kesler was living in Illinois from 2010 to 2014, but continued to vote from an Indiana address. Following an investigation by the Indiana State Police, he was charged with two class D felonies for voting outside his precinct of residence. In November of 2017, he entered into a plea deal of a one-year suspended jail sentence and informal probation.
Source: https://herit.ag/3iRXQkn, https://herit.ag/3BGBfjz
Details
Kevin Kunlay Williams (a.k.a. Kunlay Sodipo)
Kevin Williams, a Nigerian citizen and an illegal immigrant, voted in both the 2012 and 2016 elections illegally in St. Louis, Missouri and also committed tax refund fraud in the amount of $12 million from a scheme using stolen school public employee IDs, among other nefarious actions. He had been deported in 1995 but illegally reentered into the United States in 1999. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 6 _ years (78 months) in prison for voting fraudulently and other crimes including mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegally re-entering the United States. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $889,712 to the Internal Revenue Service. He also faces deportation.
Source: https://herit.ag/3zFewCz, https://herit.ag/3x2hJKM
Details
Don Leeman, a former state Representative, was charged with bribery and witness tampering charges. The charges were filed after an investigation into the location of Mr. Leeman's home, which was outside of the district he was representing. This is not permissible under New Hampshire law. Leeman agreed to a plea deal that only required him to plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge. He was issued a deferred $1,200 fine and was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.
Source: https://herit.ag/372GV9l
Details
Shalom Lamm, a 57-year-old real estate developer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to corrupt the election process. He had partnered with another developer, Kenneth Nakdimen, to use false voter registrations to assist in electing officials that would be favorable toward a development project of theirs. Lamm was sentenced to 10 months in prison, one year supervised release, 400 hours of community service, and a $20,000 fine.
Source: https://herit.ag/372H0d9, https://herit.ag/3BKpEjj, https://herit.ag/3f2mE8j, https://herit.ag/3iSZAtL
Details
Shalom Lamm's co-defendant, Kenneth Nakdimen, also a real estate developer from Monsey, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process. Nakdimen and his partners planted items in unoccupied apartments to give a semblance of occupancy to falsely registered voters. He was sentenced to six months in prison in addition to one year of supervised release, 400 hours of community service, and a $20,000 fine.
Source: https://herit.ag/3i4UQlF, https://herit.ag/3iQEe09, https://herit.ag/3l0pYEC
Details
Rus Thompson, a political activist, pleaded guilty to one count of offering a false instrument for filing. Thompson, a longtime resident of Grand Island, was evicted from his home and moved to Niagara County. Nevertheless, Thompson signed an affidavit falsely claiming to be a Grand Island resident and voted there in the 2015 primary. The terms of Thompson's plea agreement stipulate that he will receive probation, thus avoiding any jail time. Thompson is set to be officially sentenced on May 3, 2017.
Source: https://herit.ag/3rH6aYf
Details
Rebecca Hammonds, of East Liverpool, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of making a false registration and one count of election falsification. While working as a canvasser for the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, Hammonds falsely registered voters, including deceased individuals and residents who no longer lived in the community. Hammonds was sentenced to serve 180 days in jail.
Source: https://herit.ag/3iQEhcl, https://herit.ag/3i4LiHm, https://herit.ag/3l22krt
Details
Richard Cummings, an Allegheny County School Board Member, moved from Westmoreland County to Allegheny County in 2009, but continued voting at his Westmoreland address through the 2016 general election. He was charged with five counts of unlawful voting, and one count of unsworn falsification for claiming he was a resident of the county when he voted there in 2010, 2012, and 2016. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year of probation through the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program for first time non-violent offenders. He can petition to have his record expunged upon completion of the program and probation.
Source: https://herit.ag/3kYtek0, https://herit.ag/3i71SX7
Details
Vafalay Massaquoi pleaded guilty to one count of falsifying voter registration applications and two counts of forging a public record. While working for New Virginia Majority, a liberal advocacy group, Massaquoi filed voter applications for completely made-up Alexandria residents. An Alexandria official noticed the voter applications were all filled out in the same handwriting and turned the documents over to the authorities. Massaquoi was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for each count. His sentences were set to run concurrently and will be suspended pending his good behavior. He was also sentenced to 500 hours of community service.
Source: https://herit.ag/373qeut, https://herit.ag/3rB1R0L
Details
Andrew Spieles pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his submission of eighteen fraudulent voter registrations in connection with the 2016 presidential election. While working for Harrisonburg Votes, a voter registration organization affiliated with the Democratic Party, Spieles falsified voter registration information. In some cases, he registered deceased individuals. In others, he fabricated information about residents so he could submit applications without their approval. Spieles was sentenced to 100 days' imprisonment.
Source: https://herit.ag/3rAyATU, https://herit.ag/3y9dz5b, https://herit.ag/3ba1QcC
Details
Jose Fragozo, a trustee on the Escondido Union School District Board, pleaded guilty to a felony charge that he voted in the 2014 general election while registered at an address where he did not live. Investigators determined that while he owned the property at that address, he actually lived at a nearby second home. The two properties lie in different board electoral zones, and California law requires elected officials to reside in the districts they represent. Fargozo claimed the false address as his residence shortly before announcing his candidacy for the board seat in that electoral zone. The remaining charges were dismissed pursuant to a plea agreement, in which Fragozo agreed to resign and not to seek electoral office for three years. The judge sentenced Fragozo to three years of probation, a single day in jail, 15 days of community service, and the payment of a fine and restitution which could total over $28,500.
Source: https://herit.ag/3f0bwZw, https://herit.ag/3BMx4mh
Details
Tiffany Edwards Hunt, a former candidate for the Hawaii County Council, pleaded no contest to a Class C felony voter registration charge. Prior to her 2014 campaign, Hunt had claimed her husband's surf shop as her primary residence, allowing her to vote in a district in which she did not reside. She switched her residency back to her home in District 5 so she could run for office. She ultimately lost by 274 votes. Her plea of no contest resulted in the dismissal of charges, but she was nevertheless assessed a $500 fine for the violation.
Source: https://herit.ag/3BLlU18
Details
Patrick Doyle registered to vote and voted in multiple elections in 2008, 2010, 2012 using the address of his ex-wife in Kansas while he was residing in Missouri. Initially charged with three felonies he entered a plea of nolo contendere to charges of falsely swearing to an affidavit, providing false information to obtain a ballot, and one felony count of misusing a driver's license and was sentenced to one year and 30 days in jail and one year of probation.
Source: bit.ly/30ErIbw, Case no. 15CR03081
Key & Definitions
Types of Cases
Any case that results in a defendant entering a plea of guilty or no contest, or being found guilty in court of election-related offenses.
A finding by a court of law that fraud occurred in an election, including judicial orders overturning election results or ordering a new election due to fraud.
Any civil case resulting in fines or other penalties imposed for a violation of election laws.
A finding by a government body that fraud occurred in an election, including orders overturning election results or ordering a new election due to fraud.
Any criminal case in which a judge directs a defendant into a pre-trial diversion program, or stays or defers adjudication with the understanding that the conviction will be cleared upon completion of the program.
Types of Voter Fraud
Requesting absentee ballots and voting without the knowledge of the actual voter; or obtaining the absentee ballot from a voter and either filling it in directly and forging the voter’s signature or illegally telling the voter who to vote for.
Illegal registration and voting by individuals who are not U.S. citizens, are convicted felons, or are otherwise not eligible to vote.
Voting in the name of other legitimate voters and voters who have died, moved away, or lost their right to vote because they are felons, but remain registered.
Paying voters to cast either an in-person or absentee ballot for a particular candidate.
Forging the signatures of registered voters on the ballot petitions that must be filed with election officials in some states for a candidate or issue to be listed on the official ballot
Registering in multiple locations and voting in the same election in more than one jurisdiction or state.
Voting under fraudulent voter registrations that either use a phony name and a real or fake address or claim residence in a particular jurisdiction where the registered voter does not actually live and is not entitled to vote.
Changing the actual vote count either in a precinct or at the central location where votes are counted.
Forcing or intimidating voters—particularly the elderly, disabled, illiterate, and those for whom English is a second language—to vote for particular candidates while supposedly providing them with “assistance.”
