A federal jury in Fort Worth has convicted an Indian national and lawful permanent resident of the United States of illegally voting in the 2024 presidential election after he falsely claimed U.S. citizenship on a Texas driver license application.
The conviction, announced Wednesday by the Department of Justice, follows a broader North Texas election investigation and comes as a separate complaint raises questions about possible double voting at a Dallas County polling location during early voting for the November 3 general election.
Indian National Convicted In Tarrant County
Khalwinder Singh Bhengura, 69, an Indian national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, was convicted of voting by an alien in a federal election and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register to vote.
Although Bhengura was legally residing in the country, he was not a U.S. citizen and was therefore ineligible to vote in federal elections.
Jurors returned the verdict Tuesday, October 27, following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman.
According to federal prosecutors, Bhengura became a lawful permanent resident on June 29, 2022. He had never applied for U.S. citizenship.
On August 1, 2024, Bhengura applied for a Texas driver license in Tarrant County. He checked boxes indicating that he was a U.S. citizen and wanted to register to vote.
Those statements resulted in his registration as a Texas voter.
Bhengura subsequently voted in person at the East Library and Recreation Center in Arlington on November 5, 2024, during an election that included presidential and congressional races.
“Voting in our national elections is reserved for US citizens,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said in Wednesday’s announcement.
“Every unlawful vote undermines the voices of eligible citizens, and this office will hold accountable anyone who undermines our elections. This verdict reflects the jury’s careful consideration of the evidence and our commitment to protecting the integrity of the electoral process in North Texas.”
Bhengura faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for the false citizenship claim. His unlawful-voting conviction carries a separate maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 11, 2027. Bhengura could also face immigration consequences, including removal from the United States following imprisonment.
Dallas County Double-Voting Complaint Raises Separate Questions
The conviction comes as Texas election officials have been asked to examine an unrelated complaint alleging possible double voting and modifications to election records at Duncanville Library.
As reported Wednesday by The Dallas Express, a complaint dated October 27 alleges that the same voter appeared in two electronic poll books five minutes apart on October 21.
The entries reportedly occurred at 4:49 p.m. and 4:54 p.m. at Poll Center 3202. One poll book served curbside voters, according to the complaint.
The complaint further alleges that a paper roster was changed following an October 24 audit.
A separate request bearing the name of Dallas County Republican Party Chair Monty Montanez asks Elections Administrator Paul Adams to determine whether a second ballot was accepted or counted.
The request seeks preservation of electronic check-in records, paper rosters, audit logs, and related communications.
It also requests a response by 11:45 a.m. Thursday, October 29.
The Dallas Express has not independently verified whether two ballots were cast or counted. No criminal wrongdoing has been established in the Duncanville matter, which is unrelated to Bhengura’s conviction.
Previous North Texas Election Cases
Bhengura was among seven noncitizens charged in a federal election investigation announced September 15.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, six defendants were lawful permanent residents, while the seventh, Moises Anwar Arellano-Alba, was identified by federal prosecutors as an illegal alien from Mexico who had been ordered deported.
The allegations involved unlawful voting, false citizenship statements, and related election offenses.
Another North Texas case resulted in a prison sentence in September.
Eliseo Morales-Tapia, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for offenses including identity theft, voting by an alien, and false citizenship statements, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
His case was separate from the seven-defendant operation.
Other Texas Cases Involve Illegal Voting
Federal authorities have announced additional illegal-voting cases elsewhere in Texas this year.
In July, British citizen Ada Ngozi Otuka, 63, of Katy pleaded guilty to illegally voting in a federal election and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.
Otuka admitted illegally voting in the 2020 election. Federal records also documented voting activity in 2012, 2016, 2018, and 2024, according to the Justice Department’s July 30 announcement.
Another case involves Imelda Magallanes, 51, a Mexican national and lawful permanent resident charged in Midland in September with illegally voting in a federal election.
Prosecutors said Magallanes registered to vote using her Texas driver license in October 2020 and voted in the November 2024 general election.
DOJ Announces Dozens Of Additional Cases Nationwide
The federal investigations extend beyond Texas.
On October 26, the Justice Department announced election-related charges involving 48 foreign nationals in Pennsylvania, California, Florida, New York, and Nevada.
The allegations include unlawful voting in federal elections and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register or vote.
Two weeks earlier, on October 12, federal prosecutors announced charges involving 16 individuals in election-related cases nationwide.
Those allegations included unlawful voting, multiple voting, false citizenship claims, and an attempt to cast a deceased person’s absentee ballot.
The charged defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Federal And Texas Authorities Continue Investigations
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas field office conducted the Bhengura investigation with assistance from the Texas Attorney General’s Election Integrity Unit and the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Capoccia and Colin Duffy prosecuted the case.
Federal law generally prohibits noncitizens, including lawful permanent residents, from voting in elections for federal office.
Bhengura’s conviction establishes his responsibility for the offenses presented at trial. Federal authorities have not disclosed which candidates received his vote or alleged that his ballot changed an election outcome.
The separate Duncanville complaint remains unresolved as early voting continues through October 30 ahead of the November 3 general election. The Dallas Express will provide updates as the investigation unfolds.
Provided by Dallas Express
