When he ran into local opposition for his real estate projects, one New York developer had a novel solution: stealing the local election
A real estate developer has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process for the benefit of his development projects, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of New York.
Kenneth Nakdimen, 64, from Monsey, N.Y. pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process by scheming to falsely register voters and pay bribes in favor of public officials who could help his and accomplices’ real estate projects in Bloomingburg, N.Y.
“Fair elections are the bedrock of democracy,” said Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim. “As he has now admitted, Kenneth Nakdimen devised a scheme to advance his real estate project by falsely registering voters and corrupting this sacred process. We will not allow greed to influence elections at any level.”
In 2006, Nakdimen and his accomplices wanted to build and sell properties in Bloomingburg, but by 2013 were met with local opposition with their first real estate projects. The project remained under construction and unlivable.
During a March 2014 election for the mayoral and other local positions, Nakdimen and his co-conspirators allegedly registered false names and non-residents into the voters list. This included people who were not allowed to register as they were non-residents, those who never intended to live in Bloomingburg and some who had never been in the city. To cover their scheme, they created and backdated false leases and planted items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste to make it seem like people lived in otherwise unoccupied apartments.
They also reportedly offered payments and subsidies to potential voters to illegally register to vote.
Nakdimen will be sentenced in September.
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Kenneth Nakdimen, 64, from Monsey, N.Y. pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process by scheming to falsely register voters and pay bribes in favor of public officials who could help his and accomplices’ real estate projects in Bloomingburg, N.Y.
“Fair elections are the bedrock of democracy,” said Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim. “As he has now admitted, Kenneth Nakdimen devised a scheme to advance his real estate project by falsely registering voters and corrupting this sacred process. We will not allow greed to influence elections at any level.”
In 2006, Nakdimen and his accomplices wanted to build and sell properties in Bloomingburg, but by 2013 were met with local opposition with their first real estate projects. The project remained under construction and unlivable.
During a March 2014 election for the mayoral and other local positions, Nakdimen and his co-conspirators allegedly registered false names and non-residents into the voters list. This included people who were not allowed to register as they were non-residents, those who never intended to live in Bloomingburg and some who had never been in the city. To cover their scheme, they created and backdated false leases and planted items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste to make it seem like people lived in otherwise unoccupied apartments.
They also reportedly offered payments and subsidies to potential voters to illegally register to vote.
Nakdimen will be sentenced in September.
Related stories:
NY non-profit accused of housing discrimination
Maryland woman headed to prison for stealing identities of Freddie Mac, VA employees
