A Canadian citizen has pleaded guilty to making false claims of U.S. citizenship in order to vote in North Carolina elections. Denis Bouchard, 70, admitted in court that he falsely certified he was a U.S. citizen on voter registration applications for the 2022 and 2024 elections.
Court documents show that Bouchard has lived in the United States since the 1960s but never obtained citizenship. He faces up to five years in prison for each count when sentenced.
Reid Davis, FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina, commented on the case: "Election security is one of the FBI’s top priorities. Americans expect fair elections and democracy requires it. This case is a testament to the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners in North Carolina to arrest and prosecute anyone who illegally participates in our democratic process, and the FBI will fully investigate any individual who attempts to subvert our upcoming 2026 elections.”
State Board Executive Director Sam Hayes also addressed the conviction: “This conviction exemplifies our strong committed partnerships with the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office to enforce our election laws and to safeguard our electoral system. An American citizen’s right to vote is sacred, and we must do everything possible to protect that individual right and the opportunity to exercise it.” Hayes added, “The State Board will continue to actively investigate all credible allegations of voter fraud by individuals and organizations with the goal of bolstering confidence in North Carolina’s electoral process.”
The announcement was made by W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, after Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers II accepted Bouchard's plea. The FBI led the investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton is prosecuting.
