Two lawful permanent residents, one from Sudan and another from Afghanistan, face federal criminal charges in Nevada for casting ballots in a federal election, according to documents released by the Department of Justice.
Federal Charges Filed in Las Vegas
Federal prosecutors filed criminal information documents in Las Vegas detailing the cases against Moneir Elzobier Ali Yousif and Khalida Safi. Court records state that Yousif, a lawful permanent resident originally from Sudan, voted on or about October 29, 2024. In the separate case, Safi, a lawful permanent resident from Afghanistan, voted on or about November 5, 2024. Both individuals are accused of participating in an election that included races for President, Vice President, Member of the Senate, and Member of the House of Representatives.
Each defendant is charged with one count of voting by an alien. The statutory maximum penalty for the offense is one year of imprisonment, a fine of up to $100,000, or both, according to the Department of Justice.
“As these cases show, the public and political narrative that Nevada’s elections are not fraught with fraud is categorically false,” said Sigal Chattah, First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, in a statement released by justice.gov. Chattah added that her office is drawing a hard line to protect the legal votes of citizens.
Federal Agencies Investigate Election Law Violations
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations handled the inquiry into both ballots. Law enforcement officials emphasized coordination across agencies to address alleged violations of federal election laws.
“Safeguarding the integrity of federal elections requires a coordinated law enforcement response to alleged violations of election laws,” said Erin Burke, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Los Angeles. Christopher S. Delzotto, Special Agent in Charge for the FBI Las Vegas Office, echoed that sentiment, noting that investigators will exhaustively pursue any credible claims of voter fraud.
An initial appearance date has not yet been scheduled in federal court. Prosecutors noted that a criminal information is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
