By: Richard L. Smith
A former candidate for mayor of Plainfield, New Jersey, has been indicted by a state grand jury on charges of attempting to submit hundreds of fraudulent voter registration applications to Union County election officials.
Dr. Henrilynn Ibezim, 70, is accused of orchestrating the scheme during his 2021 mayoral campaign and attempting to cover up his actions.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) announced the eight-count indictment against Ibezim, who ran in the June 2021 primary election.
According to court documents, Ibezim allegedly brought nearly 1,000 falsified voter registration applications to an Elizabeth post office, intending to send them to the Union County Commissioner of Registration. Many of these applications were filled out by only a few individuals, using unauthorized personal information.
The indictment further alleges that Ibezim tried to obstruct the investigation by providing false information to law enforcement.
He reportedly claimed to have paid two individuals to gather legitimate voter registration forms and advised a witness to withhold information during questioning.
“As alleged, Dr. Henrilynn Ibezim attempted to tamper with the election process and then with the investigation into his tampering,” said Attorney General Platkin.
“As the charges in this case demonstrate, if you attempt to interfere with the integrity of an election in New Jersey, you will be investigated and prosecuted.”
Drew Skinner, Executive Director of OPIA, reinforced the commitment to upholding fair elections, stating that Ibezim now faces serious charges for his conduct.
The indictment includes charges of election fraud, trafficking in personal information, tampering with public records, forgery, and witness tampering, among others.
If convicted, Ibezim could face significant prison time, with second-degree charges carrying sentences of five to 10 years and third-degree charges carrying sentences of three to five years.
Ibezim is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.