Antiguan Woman Among 16 Charged in US Election Fraud Crackdown

An Antigua and Barbuda national is among 16 people charged by the United States Department of Justice in a nationwide crackdown targeting alleged illegal voting and related election offences.

Pauline Lewis, 65, was arrested in Georgia on a criminal complaint accusing her of voting as a non-citizen in a federal election.

The Justice Department described Lewis as a “suspected illegal alien” from Antigua and Barbuda. However, it did not disclose how long she had been living in the United States, which election she allegedly voted in, or whether she has entered a plea.

Lewis is one of three non-citizens residing in Georgia who have been charged with allegedly voting illegally in US elections.

The other two are Gabriel Covarrubias, 44, a Mexican national accused of voting under a false name during the November 2024 federal election and making a false statement on a US passport application; and Analiea Milliscent Eccles, 44, a Venezuelan national and DACA recipient who allegedly voted nine times between 2008 and 2024.

According to the Justice Department, the wider operation resulted in charges against 16 individuals across Texas, Idaho, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Michigan.

The cases involve allegations of voting by non-citizens, making false claims of US citizenship to register or vote, wire fraud, naturalisation fraud, passport fraud and firearm-related offences uncovered during the investigations.

Eight individuals residing in Texas were charged in connection with alleged unlawful voting or related offences. Those accused include nationals of Mexico, Nigeria, India and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In Idaho, Mexican national Avila Gomez faces several charges after allegedly falsely claiming US citizenship, voting in the May 2022 and November 2024 elections and fraudulently obtaining identification documents.

Other defendants include Nigerian national Gladys Adaeze Okafor, who is accused of voting illegally in the 2022 and 2024 elections, and Colombian national Julieta Englestad, who allegedly falsely claimed US citizenship when registering to vote.

Russian national Victoria Viktorivna Aquilina was also charged with allegedly voting illegally in the 2024 general election.

The Justice Department stressed that criminal complaints and indictments contain allegations only. Lewis and the other defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.