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A Chinese national living in Massachusetts was arrested Wednesday after federal prosecutors said he impersonated another Chinese national to register and vote in the 2024 presidential election — then reported the alleged victim to immigration authorities for illegally voting.
Yupeng Sun, 33, of Andover, was charged with one count of fraudulent voter registration and one count of fraudulent voting, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
The criminal complaint alleges Sun admitted during a July interview with federal investigators that he registered the victim to vote and later cast a ballot using the man’s identity.
“I tell you the truth, I register,” Sun told investigators when shown the victim’s voter registration information, according to the complaint.
CANADIAN NONCITIZEN ACCUSED OF ILLEGALLY VOTING IN FEDERAL AND STATE ELECTIONS
An anonymous tip accusing a Massachusetts permanent resident of illegally voting in the 2024 presidential election included a screenshot of the victim’s voter registration status, according to a federal criminal complaint. (Department of Justice)
After investigators showed Sun a photograph of the early voting ballot envelope submitted at Malden City Hall on Oct. 31, 2024, Sun allegedly responded, “I used his name to vote.”
Massachusetts voter records show the ballot cast under the victim’s name was accepted for the 2024 presidential election, according to the complaint.
Sun previously rented a room from the victim and his family in Malden, and investigators allege he also impersonated the victim and his wife in immigration documents requesting that they abandon their legal permanent resident status.
When the couple returned from an international trip in June 2024, their green cards were confiscated and they were placed into removal proceedings.
An immigration judge restored their legal permanent resident status in January 2026, after finding their testimony credible and receiving forensic evidence that they had not signed the forms, according to the complaint.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT LEARNS FATE AFTER USING STOLEN IDENTITY TO VOTE IN US ELECTIONS FOR DECADES
An early voting ballot envelope bearing the alleged victim’s name was submitted at Malden City Hall on Oct. 31, 2024, according to a federal criminal complaint. (Department of Justice)
Federal investigators say Sun later submitted anonymous tips to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services accusing the victim of illegally voting in the 2024 election.
Sun allegedly acknowledged sending the tips when investigators interviewed him.
“I went to post office and, uh, to report the father vote,” Sun said, according to the complaint.
Sun is a citizen and national of China who entered the U.S. in September 2020 on a B-2 tourist visa that expired in March 2021, according to the complaint. He has deferred action status based on a U-Visa application submitted in February 2022.
DHS DIRECTS ICE TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO VOTE IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS UNDER NEW DIRECTIVE
Prosecutors allege Yupeng Sun cast a ballot using another man’s identity during early voting in the 2024 presidential election. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images, File)
The Massachusetts Secretary of State’s office did not immediately respond to Digital’s request for comment.
Each voter fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Prosecutors said Sun could also face deportation after completing any sentence imposed.
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U.S. Attorney Leah Foley and Jeff Grimming, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, announced the charges. The Lexington and Andover police departments assisted in the investigation.
The charges contained in the court documents are allegations. Sun is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
