Federal prosecutors in New Jersey charged four noncitizens with illegally voting in U.S. elections and lying during the naturalization process, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
The cases were brought through the district’s Election Integrity Task Force, which focuses on investigating and prosecuting election-related crimes.
According to criminal complaints, each defendant was not a U.S. citizen when they registered to vote but certified on official forms that they were eligible. Federal law requires U.S. citizenship to register and vote in federal elections.
Prosecutors said the individuals later submitted Form N-400 applications for citizenship and falsely stated under oath that they had never registered to vote or participated in a federal election.
The defendants include David Neewilly, 73, who allegedly voted in both the 2020 and 2024 general elections. He faces one count of voting by an alien and one count of making false statements related to naturalization.
Jacenth Beadle is charged with making false statements after allegedly voting in the 2020 election.
Idan Choresh faces multiple charges, including voting by an alien, unlawful procurement of citizenship, and false statements after allegedly voting in the 2022 midterm elections.
Abhinandan Vig is charged with unlawful procurement of citizenship after allegedly voting in the 2020 presidential election.
If convicted, the defendants face varying penalties.
Voting by a noncitizen carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison. Making false statements can result in up to five years, while unlawful attempts to obtain citizenship can carry penalties of up to 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer said the charges demonstrate a commitment to enforcing election laws.
“As alleged, the defendants broke federal law by voting in elections they were not eligible to participate in, and then made false statements under oath to conceal that conduct,” Frazer said.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also commented on the cases, stating that the Justice Department will pursue violations tied to both voting and the immigration process, per Trending Politics.
“This administration will not tolerate aliens who attempt to vote in our elections when they know they are not eligible,” Blanche said, adding that authorities will use all available legal tools to address such cases.
The charges are allegations.
All four individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The cases are expected to proceed through the federal legal system as prosecutors seek to establish whether the defendants knowingly violated election and immigration laws.
The announcement highlights ongoing enforcement efforts tied to election integrity and the naturalization process, with federal officials emphasizing that both systems rely on accurate declarations under oath.
