United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts

09/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/03/2026 14:37

Federal Grand Jury Indicts Chinese National for Voter Fraud in Massachusetts

Press Release

Federal Grand Jury Indicts Chinese National for Voter Fraud in Massachusetts

Defendant allegedly used another Chinese national's identity to register and cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential election

BOSTON - A federal grand jury has indicted a Chinese national residing in Andover, Mass., on charges stemming from an alleged scheme to use another Chinese national's identity to register to vote and cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential election. The defendant was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint in August.

Yupeng Sun, 33, was indicted on one count of fraudulent voter registration and one count of fraudulent voting. Sun was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 19, 2026 and subsequently released on conditions. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to court filings, on Oct. 10, 2024, Sun submitted an online voter registration through the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website impersonating another Chinese national residing in Massachusetts with legal permanent resident (LPR) status. On Oct. 31, 2024, Sun allegedly continued to impersonate the other Chinese national and submitted an early voting ballot at Malden City Hall for the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

After registering to vote and voting, Sun allegedly submitted several anonymous tips in April and May 2026 to Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stating that the victim "illegally voted in the 2024 U.S. presidential election" and noting that "[h]e is not a U.S. citizen but a permanent resident." It is further alleged that Sun impersonated the same Chinese national and his Chinese national wife in fraudulent forms submitted to USCIS in April 2024 requesting to abandon their LPR status. When the couple returned from an international trip in June 2024, they were subjected to secondary inspection at Logan Airport in Boston, had their Green Cards confiscated, and were placed into removal proceedings allegedly as a result of Sun's submission of fraudulent forms.

The charges of fraudulent registration and fraudulent voting each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Lexington Police Department and the Andover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Updated September 3, 2026
Topics
Fraud
Immigration
Voting and Elections
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