Feds: 10 Foreign Nationals Charged With Voter Fraud In Minnesota, Including August Primary

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A federal grand jury has indicted 10 foreign nationals accused of illegally voting or falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to vote in Minnesota elections, including one man accused of casting a ballot in the state's Aug. 11 primary, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.

The defendants were separately indicted on Sept. 24, according to U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen of the District of Minnesota. All 10 have already made their initial appearances in federal court.

The defendants range in age from 43 to 78 and are nationals of Liberia, Lithuania, Ghana, Germany, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada and South Africa.

Seven are accused of voting illegally in the November 2024 general election.

Of the other three, one is accused of voting in the November 2022 general election, one is accused of falsely claiming citizenship when registering to vote in October 2024, and one is accused of voting in this year's August primary.

"Today's charges allege that ten foreign nationals committed voter fraud in Minnesota, one voting illegally as recently as this August's primary," Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. "The law is clear, only American citizens may vote in American elections, and enforcing this law is fundamental to our democracy. That should not be a partisan concept."

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the administration will pursue both criminal charges and deportation against non-citizens who vote.

"Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation," Mullin said.

Rosen said his office will prosecute any non-citizen who swears to be a citizen in order to obtain a ballot.

"Voting in American elections is a privilege of American citizenship," Rosen said. "Stealing that privilege is a crime."

The defendants and the charges against them, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office:

Bhator Konah Bryant, 61, a Liberian national, is charged with one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote. She is accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship when registering to vote on Oct. 18, 2024.

Edvile Vaidoto Edmunds, 59, a Lithuanian national, is charged with one count of voting by alien. She is accused of voting illegally on Nov. 8, 2022.

Joshua Frederick Kofi Edzie, 63, a Ghanaian national, is charged with two counts of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is accused of voting illegally on Aug. 11, 2026, and of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to vote on Oct. 23, 2024, and Aug. 11, 2026.

Alan Barbu Kargbo, 48, a Liberian national, is charged with one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien, both tied to the Nov. 5, 2024, election.

Paul Kras, 78, a German national, is charged with one count of voting by alien for allegedly voting on Nov. 5, 2024.

Fadil Rasim Ozegovic, 58, a Bosnian national, is charged with one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien, both tied to the Nov. 5, 2024, election.

Aparecido Donizetti Padovan, 62, a Brazilian national, is charged with one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien, both tied to the Nov. 5, 2024, election.

Chis Adam Pettiquoi, 43, a Liberian national, is charged with one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien, both tied to the Nov. 5, 2024, election.

Christian Liam Schenk, 47, a Canadian national, is charged with one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien, both tied to the Nov. 5, 2024, election. Schenk made his initial appearance in federal court in Massachusetts.

Hester Sophia Weihmann, 69, a South African national, is charged with one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien, both tied to the Nov. 5, 2024, election.

The other nine defendants appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on Sept. 28 or 29.

A false claim of citizenship in order to vote is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Voting by an alien is a class A misdemeanor carrying up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine.

The cases stem from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Teirab is prosecuting.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.