Illegal Alien Arrested for Voting in Five Presidential Elections in Pennsylvania
Mahady Sacko, a Philadelphia resident, faces up to five years in prison for unlawfully voting in the 2024 general election and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register and vote.
PHILADELPHIA – A 50-year-old illegal alien from Mauritania was arrested and charged with fraudulent voting after allegedly casting ballots in five presidential elections while under a deportation order, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
Mahady Sacko, a Philadelphia resident, faces up to five years in prison for unlawfully voting in the 2024 general election and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register and vote. An FBI investigation revealed Sacko voted in person in the 2008 and 2012 general elections, the 2016 primary and general elections, the 2020 general election, and by mail in the 2020 primary. He registered to vote multiple times, including in 2005, 2016, and 2020, checking boxes affirming citizenship despite his illegal status.
Sacko was ordered removed from the U.S. by an immigration judge in Philadelphia on June 14, 2000, and remained under ICE supervision, checking in over a dozen times. He was arrested by ICE in January 2007 but stayed in the country. U.S. Attorney David Metcalf stated the charges underscore the Justice Department's commitment to election integrity.
The case highlights vulnerabilities in voter registration systems, prompting calls for stricter citizenship verification to protect federal elections.