United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three officials from Millbourne, Pennsylvania, entered guilty pleas to election fraud charges. The individuals, MD Nurul Hasan, MD Munsur Ali, and MD Rafikul Islam, were implicated in a scheme to manipulate the 2021 Millbourne Borough mayoral election. The guilty pleas were submitted separately before U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III.
Hasan, the vice president of the Millbourne Borough Council, admitted to all 33 charges against him. Ali, a council member, pled guilty to 25 charges. Islam, a former council member, confessed to seven charges. The charges stem from their plan to illegitimately secure Hasan's election as mayor through voter registration fraud.
The fraudulent activities included using personal identification data from non-residents to register them as voters within Millbourne without their knowledge. They then altered the registrations through Pennsylvania's online system, requested ballots, and cast votes for Hasan. This scheme was executed in coordination with others, including utilizing email accounts to avoid detection.
Despite the fraudulent efforts, Hasan lost the 2021 election. Following their guilty pleas, the three face maximum penalties of up to five years for each charge, with sentencing set for June 18.
U.S. Attorney Metcalf emphasized the importance of safeguarding election integrity, a sentiment echoed by Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia, who underscored the impact of fraud on public trust in democratic institutions. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer highlighted the investigation's success, steered by Deputy DA Doug Rhoads’s Special Investigations Unit.
The inquiry was conducted by the FBI and Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.
