By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Abdul Rahman was arraigned Tuesday on an indictment charging him with falsifying business records, criminal possession of a forged instrument and other crimes for submitting falsified absentee ballot applications—including that of a Richmond Hill resident—for the Democratic primary election in August 2022.
Rahman, 32, of Floral Park, was arraigned on Tuesday on a 140-count indictment charging him with 20 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree; 20 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree; 20 counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree; 20 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the third degree; 20 counts of falsifying business records in the second degree; 20 counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the second degree; and 20 counts of illegal voting.
“Every vote has to count. Election integrity is the foundation of a viable, working democracy. We will vigorously prosecute anyone who threatens in any way to undermine that integrity,” Katz said. “The integrity of elections will be upheld in this borough.”
According to the charges:
On Aug. 23, 2022, Jordan Sandke went to his local polling place in Richmond Hill to vote in the Democratic primary election and was told that he would be unable to cast his ballot in person because an absentee ballot had already been requested in his name.
An investigation found Sandke’s absentee ballot application, with his name, address and date of birth, was signed and dated Aug. 1, 2022. The application listed the defendant, Rahman, as an authorized representative to pick up the ballot. Sandke, however, had not filled out, signed or submitted the application, and said he had never met the defendant or authorized him to pick up an absentee ballot on his behalf.
The investigation further revealed that on Aug. 8, 2022, Rahman visited the Queens County Board of Elections and dropped off 118 absentee ballot applications, all of which designated him as the individual authorized to pick up the ballots.
Of the 118 applications, 32 were approved and the ballots were picked up by the defendant the next day, Aug. 9, 2022.
Law enforcement officials interviewed several of the individuals whose names and personal information were listed in the ballot applications and learned that none of them had themselves submitted the form, much less authorized Rahman to pick a ballot up for them.
Following the indictment, Rahman surrendered on Tuesday to the Queen’s District Attorney’s Office.
“The Board of Elections in the City of New York is proud to once again have identified and referred an election integrity issue to law enforcement. Our government partners in the Queens District Attorney’s Office did an amazing job at investigating this case and bringing it to indictment,” Board of Elections Deputy Executive Director Vincent Ignizio said. “Protecting our democracy and the elections process is the responsibility of all Americans.”
If convicted, Rahman faces up to seven years in prison.
