Justice Department · Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Justice Department charges 16 green-card holders in four states with illegal voting
The File desk · Oct 6, 2026, 10:45 AM UTC
Status
Confirmed as charges, from the Justice Department’s Oct. 5 release. A complaint, indictment, or information is only an accusation. The people charged are presumed innocent.
- Confirmed
The department announced charges involving 16 lawful permanent residents, in federal courts in Minnesota, Louisiana, Florida, and Wisconsin.
- Confirmed
The release describes the offenses as
and a false claim of citizenship in order to vote. It does not cite statute sections.Legal instrument
Voting by an alien in a federal election
Federal law makes it a crime for a non-citizen to vote in a federal election, and a crime to falsely claim citizenship in order to register or vote. The charging release does not cite a statute section.
Federal prosecutors charged 16 lawful permanent residents, people with green cards who are not citizens, with voting in a federal election or with falsely claiming citizenship in order to register. Ten cases are in Minnesota, three in Louisiana, two in Florida, and one in Wisconsin. The release calls the offenses Legal instrument Federal law makes it a crime for a non-citizen to vote in a federal election, and a crime to falsely claim citizenship in order to register or vote. The charging release does not cite a statute section.Voting by an alien in a federal election
In the Middle District of Florida, the release names Andrea Catanese, 60, an Italian national, indicted on Legal instrument Federal law makes it a crime for a non-citizen to vote in a federal election, and a crime to falsely claim citizenship in order to register or vote. The charging release does not cite a statute section. Legal instrument Federal law makes it a crime for a non-citizen to vote in a federal election, and a crime to falsely claim citizenship in order to register or vote. The charging release does not cite a statute section.Voting by an alien in a federal election
Voting by an alien in a federal election
In the Eastern District of Louisiana, the release names Pedro Pablo Ruiz, 68, of Cuba; Zianya Yllaly Zamorano, 34, of Mexico; and Dudley Francisco Zeledon, 56, of Nicaragua. It says Zeledon cast a ballot in the 2024 primary and the 2024 general election.
In the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Sara Luma, 30, of North Macedonia, is charged with unlawfully voting as a non-citizen. The complaint says she registered on Election Day 2024, certified she was a citizen, and admitted to registering and voting on Nov. 5, 2024.
In Minnesota the release names ten people: Bhator Konah Bryant, Edvile Vaidoto Edmunds, Joshua Frederick Kofi Edzie, Alan Barbu Kargbo, Paul Kras, Fadil Rasim Ozegovic, Aparecido Donizetti Padovan, Chris Adam Pettiquoi, Christian Liam Schenk, and Hester Sophia Weihmann. Edmunds is accused of a 2022 vote. Edzie is accused of voting on Aug. 11, 2026, and of falsely claiming citizenship to vote on Oct. 23, 2024, and on Aug. 11, 2026. Kras is 78.
The release gives no count of all votes cast in those elections, and this desk did not compare the cases with any turnout total. It does not call the conduct widespread or rare.
The department’s line: a complaint, an indictment, and an information merely contain accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent.
What is still unknown or disputed
- Case numbers and court dates.
- Whether anyone has entered a plea.
- Whether the votes were counted.
Primary sources
Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.
Source 1
Justice Department Announces Charges Involving 16 Aliens for Election Crimes
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs · October 5, 2026
Today, the Justice Department announced charges involving 16 aliens in connection with illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration, and related election crimes across the country.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-charges-involving-16-aliens-election-crimes