According to the indictment, on or about Nov. 5, 2024, Chaudhari signed the voter signature certificate required by Minnesota law in order to vote in the general election. The certificate required him to swear or affirm that he was a citizen of the United States. The indictment alleges that Chaudhari was not a U.S. citizen and that he knowingly made the false citizenship statement in order to vote.
“The right to vote is a sacred privilege of American citizenship, and every lawful voter deserves an election system in which that right is protected,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department will hold accountable those who knowingly make false claims of citizenship in order to vote. The integrity of our elections depends on ensuring that only eligible citizens cast ballots and that every lawful vote is counted.”
Chaudhari is charged with one count of false information in voting, in violation of 52 U.S.C. § 21144(b), incorporating 18 U.S.C. § 1015(f), and one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to register to vote or vote, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1015(f). If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case, with assistance from the Fillmore County Sheriff’s...
An Indian national has been charged in the US for allegedly falsely claiming to be an American citizen in order to vote in the 2024 general election. Mukeshkumar Somabhai Chaudhari has been indicte...