Federal prosecutors charged four noncitizens in New Jersey with illegally voting in federal elections and making false statements during the naturalization process.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced that the charges stem from separate criminal complaints involving individuals who registered and voted despite not being United States citizens.
According to the complaints, David Neewilly of Atlantic County, Jacenth Beadle Exum of Bergen County, Idan Choresh of Monmouth County, and Abhinandan Vig of Monmouth County each certified on voter registration forms that they were citizens. Federal law requires citizenship to register and vote in federal elections.
Frazer alleged that the defendants committed voter fraud and then engaged in a coverup. “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. Today’s charges reflect this Office’s commitment to protecting the integrity of our election system and ensuring that those who attempt to circumvent both our voting laws and our naturalization process are held accountable.”
U.S. Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee responded to the charges by urging the president to assert his Constitutional prerogative to call a special session of Congress so members can pass the SAVE America Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and a voter ID to cast a ballot.
“America wants supercharged ICE and CBP. America wants the Save America Act. I urge @POTUS to invoke Article 2 and save our country,” Ogles posted on X.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the administration intends to enforce federal election laws. “This administration will not tolerate aliens who attempt to vote in our elections when they know they are not eligible,” he said. He added that investigators will pursue cases involving false claims of eligibility. “This Justice Department will use every authority to protect the integrity of U.S. elections, including by prosecuting any noncitizens who lie about their legal status in an attempt to vote.”
The indictment alleged that Neewilly, Exum and Wig cast ballots in multiple elections. Prosecutors charged that Neewilly voted in the 2020 and 2024 general elections. Beadle Exum and Vig allegedly voted in the 2020 general election.
Choresh voted in the 2022 general election. Each later submitted an N‑400 naturalization application, which required them to swear that they had never registered or voted in a federal election.
The authorities also accused the four defendants of making false statements during the naturalization process. The charges include violations of 18 U.S.C. § 611, 18 U.S.C. § 1015(a), and 18 U.S.C. § 1425(a). If convicted, the defendants face a potential jail term of 1 to 10 years.
Frazer went on to say that the Department of Justice will continue to prosecute voter fraud cases. “Noncitizens voting is a federal crime – period,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. ICE Director Todd Lyons said investigators will continue examining election‑related violations. “This case shows that there is still work to do,” he said.
The cases were brought under the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Election Integrity Task Force, which continues to review allegations of unlawful voting in the District of New Jersey.
