Hayden O’Byrne United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida | The Florida Bar
A federal case has been brought against a South Florida resident for allegedly committing passport fraud and voting illegally in multiple U.S. general elections. Ashley R. Rivers, aged 64, from Margate, Florida, is accused of using fraudulent identity documents showing false citizenship to apply for a U.S. passport and to register to vote.
The indictment against Rivers alleges that in 2016, he submitted a passport application using a fake name and fraudulent documents, including a false birth certificate. Further charges state that in 2020, Rivers registered to vote with the Broward Supervisor of Elections under the same false identity and voted in the 2020 and 2024 U.S. general elections, despite not being a U.S. citizen.
Rivers appeared in federal court in Fort Lauderdale recently, where he could face up to 25 years in a federal prison if convicted.
The announcement of the charges was made by U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Conklin of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Miami Field Office.
The DSS Miami Field Office is charged with investigating the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Killoran prosecuting.
It should be noted that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Further details about the case are available through the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
