Washoe woman charged with voting in 2022 as non-citizen

A Washoe County resident faces a federal criminal charge for casting a ballot during the 2022 national election despite being a legal permanent resident rather than a U.S. citizen.

Mlebinge Ramadhani, a national of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is accused of voting for a U.S. candidate in that election cycle. The U.S. Attorney General’s Office announced the charge on October 29, 2026, in a news release detailing the case.

The charge is for one count of voting by an alien. If convicted, Ramadhani could face a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, or both. An initial appearance date has not yet been set for the defendant.

Sigal Chattah, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada, said the law gives every eligible citizen the right to vote and prohibits corrupting that process through fraudulent means. She stated that the district is committed to protecting the sanctity of the ballot box and will not tolerate actions that threaten the fairness of the democratic system.

Christopher Delzotto, special agent in charge for the FBI Las Vegas Office, said the FBI protects the electoral process by deploying specialized election-crimes coordinators across all field offices. He added that no one is above the law and that justice will find those who violate it.