Authorities say they have busted a voter fraud scheme surrounding
a Republican primary race in Queens.
The suspects? 6 campaign staffers of a former City Council
candidate in 2023.
So how do they get away with it?
And did they impact the results of the election?
Here's Eyewitness News reporter NJ Burkett.
It's one reason so many leave China to live in
the United States free and fair elections.
But tonight, prosecutors say the voters in the predominantly East
Asian community of Flushing were the victims of election fraud.
Six people are charged tonight with falsely applying for absentee
ballots,
then stuffing the ballot boxes with them.
Prosecutors say all were on the volunteer campaign staff of
Yu Ching James Pie,
who went on to win last year's Republican primary in
the 20th New York City Council District.
As alleged in this case,
said DA Melinda Katz, the defendants went to the Board
of Elections and filed fraudulent absentee ballot applications on behalf
of 23 voters they had never met.
Among those indicted is the former candidates 19 year old
daughter and former campaign treasurer Sidney Pie was arraigned today
along with four others on charges of illegal voting,
filing false instruments and falsifying business records.
The losing candidate was Danny Chen and it was his.
Pain that first uncovered evidence of fraud.
Normally, you might expect 10%
or even 20% of the votes to come via absentee
ballots.
But here the numbers of absentee ballots were massive,
and those absentee ballots were weighted heavily in favor of
James Pie.
The margin of victory in the primary was just 181
votes.
The indictment itself that was brought today focuses on a
couple dozen.
Fraudulent absentee ballots. But in fact,
there were hundreds of fraudulent absentee ballots submitted in this
particular Republican primary enough to change the result of the
election.
James Pie lost the general election to Democrat Sandra Umm.
Pie was not charged in this case and could not
be reached for comment.
A civil lawsuit challenging the primary results was unsuccessful.
Flushing, Queens, NJ Burkett, Channel 7 Eyewitness News.