Filipino charged with voter fraud in US presidential election

NEW YORK — A Filipina living in New Jersey has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly lying about her citizenship status to register and vote in the 2020 US presidential election in Pennsylvania.  

Federal prosecutors said Emily Custodio, 51, of Clementon, New Jersey, falsely claimed she was a US citizen when she submitted her voter registration online in July 2020. Her application was approved, and she later cast a ballot during the November 2020 general election at a polling site in Philadelphia.  

Custodio, a Filipino national who does not hold American citizenship, is charged with one count of voter fraud and one count of voting by an alien. She pleaded not guilty during an initial court appearance on Wednesday and was released while awaiting trial.  

Court documents show Custodio presented a photo ID and signed the poll book affirming she was legally eligible to vote before casting her ballot. US Attorney David Metcalf, who announced the indictment, said her actions undermined the integrity of the electoral process.  

“Election fraud of any sort undermines public trust in our system, and illegal voting by non-citizens dilutes the voice of lawful American voters,” Metcalf said in a statement.  

If convicted, Custodio faces up to six years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines up to $350,000. Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI conducted the probe.  

Her case adds to a series of prosecutions across the country involving noncitizens accused of illegally registering and voting. Federal authorities have identified similar cases this year in North Carolina, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York and Florida, often involving legal immigrants who signed up to vote despite not being citizens.  

Custodio’s attorney has not publicly commented on the charges. 

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