Election integrity? Queens man indicted for submitting over 100 false absentee ballots during 2022 primary

QUEENS, NEW YORK- During the 2020 presidential election cycle, numerous allegations were made across the country about voter fraud, mostly related to absentee ballots, which Democrats pushed due to COVID-19. Despite some “unusual” incidents in the 2020 election, Democrats insisted that the election system was secure and fraud was “unusual.” Yet since then, numerous cases have come forth where voter fraud has been alleged and proven. 

Last week in New York City, a city resident was indicted for submitting over 100 absentee ballot applications during the 2022 Democrat primaries, The Federalist reports. 

In a press release dated Dec. 19, 2023, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the suspect, Abdul Rahman, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with falsifying business records, criminal possession of a forged instrument, and other crimes for submitting falsified absentee ballot applications for the August 2022 Democratic primary election. 

Katz stated: 

“Every vote has to count. Election integrity is the foundation of a viable, working democracy. We will vigorously prosecute anyone who threatens in any way to undermine that integrity. To investigate and prosecute anyone for voter fraud takes time and resources I am willing to commit. I thank my Public Corruption Bureau and the Board of Elections and for their important work on this case. The integrity of elections will be upheld in this borough.” 

The investigation into Rahman began after a Queens voter, Jordan Sandke, went to vote in person in the primary; however, he was refused, with a poll worker telling him “an absentee ballot had already been requested in his name.” That began an investigation whereby authorities discovered an absentee ballot had been filled out, signed, and dated in Sandke’s name on Aug. 1, 2022, with Rahman listed as the person authorized to pick up and deliver the ballot. 

According to Katz’s office, Sandke “had not filled out, signed or submitted the application, and said he had never met [Rahman] or authorized him to pick up an absentee ballot on his behalf.” Under New York law, only the person designated on a voter’s ballot to pick up and deliver it may do so.” 

During the investigation, it was determined that Sandke’s application was one of 118 Rahman dropped off at the Queens County Board of Elections office on Aug. 8, 2022, all of which named him as “the individual authorized to pick up the ballots.” The office approved thirty-two of the ballots, which Rahman retrieved the following day. Authorities interviewed a number of those named on the ballots, and several said they had not permitted Rahman “to pick up a ballot for them.” 

Board of Elections Deputy Executive Director Vincent Ignizio said:

“The Board of Elections in the City of New York is proud to once again have identified and referred an election integrity issue to law enforcement. Our government partners in the Queens District Attorney’s Office did an amazing job at investigating this case and bringing it to indictment. Protecting our democracy and the elections process is the responsibility of all Americans–and the Board is grateful to District Attorney Melinda Katz and her staff for all of their efforts in this investigation.” 

Rahman, 32, who lives in Floral Park, Queens, was arraigned on a 140-count indictment, charging him with 20 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree; 20 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree; 20 counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree; 20 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the third degree; 20 counts of falsifying business records in the second degree; 20 counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the second degree; and 20 counts of illegal voting. 

Supreme Court Justice Toni Cimino ordered Rahman to return to court on January 30, 2024. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted. 

The press release said Assistant District Attorney Gabriella Giunta of the District Attorney’s Public Corruption Bureau is in charge of prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Khadijah Muhammad-Starling, Bureau Chief, under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard Brave.