Emily Custodio, a 51-year-old resident of Clementon, New Jersey, has been indicted on charges of voter fraud and voting by an alien. The announcement was made by United States Attorney David Metcalf.
According to the indictment, Custodio is a citizen of the Philippines and does not hold U.S. citizenship. On July 18, 2020, she allegedly applied online to register to vote in Pennsylvania through the Commonwealth’s Department of State website. The indictment states that she falsely indicated she was a U.S. citizen on her application.
Three days later, on July 21, 2020, her registration was approved based on this information. The indictment further alleges that Custodio appeared in person at her assigned polling place in Philadelphia County for the November 3, 2020 general election. She reportedly presented photo identification, signed her name certifying her eligibility to vote, and cast a ballot in an election that included races for President and Vice President.
“The integrity of our electoral system depends on every citizen having confidence that the process is fair, transparent, and free from manipulation,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Election fraud of any sort undermines public trust in our system, and illegal voting by non-citizens dilutes the voice of lawful American voters.”
Custodio faces up to six years in prison if convicted, along with three years of supervised release and a fine of $350,000.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Nancy Potts and Mark Dubnoff are prosecuting the case.
Authorities emphasized that all charges are accusations at this stage; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
