Six campaign volunteers, including the daughter of a city council candidate in Queens, were indicted Thursday on voter fraud charges for allegedly submitting bogus absentee ballots, officials said.
The suspects were charged with trying to rig a council race for Republican candidate Yu-Ching James Pai, who was running in a June 2023 primary for the District 20 council seat in Queens.
Among those arrested was Pai’s daughter, Sydnee Pai, 19, who was charged alongside Li Zhen Wan, 46, Yee Ping Yam, 53, Lisbeth Cheng, 24, and Crystal You, 20.
The sixth defendant, who is currently out of state, will be arraigned at a later date, officials said.
The allegations revolve around a plot to submit fraudulent absentee ballot applications to boost Pai’s campaign.
“Our democracy relies on integrity at the voting booth, and we will not allow that to be compromised in Queens County,” said Queens DA Melinda Katz.
“As alleged in this case, the defendants went to the Board of Elections and filed fraudulent absentee ballot applications on behalf of 23 voters they had never met.”
Katz did not indicate the candidate was involved in the scheme.
Katz’ office began investigating when a voter complained to officials about losing an opportunity to cast a ballot.
When the voter arrived at a designated polling station, the person was informed by an election worker their vote had already been placed.
Katz’s investigators interviewed multiple voters whose names and personal information were listed on ballot applications, and learned they did not fill out or sign the documents.
The questioned voters also said they never met the people listed as authorized to pick up the applications, and never received an absentee ballot.
In all, 23 Queens voters had absentee ballot applications and ballots fraudulently submitted in their names, officials said.
“This indictment was the result of a long-term investigation into an absentee ballot fraud scheme,” said Queens Assistant District Attorney Gabriella Giunta during an arraignment in Queens Criminal Court.
“These defendants have each played a part in impairing the integrity of the election process and disenfranchising the people of Queens County.”
The defendants were released on their own recognizance, and are scheduled to return to court Sept. 19.
Those with passports were ordered to surrender them to the court.
The case is similar to another scheme in 2023, in which Abdul Rahman was arraigned for allegedly submitting falsified absentee ballot applications for the Democratic primary in August 2022.
Rahman’s alleged fraud came to light when voter Jordan Sandke was informed he had already requested an absentee ballot, despite never having done so.
Investigators discovered Rahman had allegedly submitted 118 fraudulent applications, designating himself as the authorized representative.
