⏱ 2 min read
Matthew Laiss, a 32-year-old man from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, pulled off a brazen act of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Laiss, who had moved to Florida in August 2020, cast two votes – one in Pennsylvania and another in Florida – in an attempt to sway the outcome of the election. The scheme unraveled when authorities discovered that Laiss had voted by mail in Pennsylvania and in person in Florida. Laiss’s motivations for committing the crime are unclear, but the consequences are now clear: he will spend the next three years on probation, with the first six months under home confinement.
Laiss’s voting history reveals a pattern of deception. Despite moving to Florida and obtaining a driver’s license, he still received a mail-in ballot at his former address in Ottsville, Pennsylvania, where his parents lived. Laiss took advantage of the situation, filling out and returning the ballot. Meanwhile, he also cast a vote in person in Frostproof, Florida, on November 3, 2020.
The FBI, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of State, investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Mark Dubnoff prosecuted Laiss. The defendant was found guilty on both counts of voting more than once in a federal election and voter fraud in March. The sentence, handed down by United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr., includes a $6,000 fine and a $200 special assessment.
The case highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of the electoral process. Laiss’s actions, although unsuccessful in altering the outcome of the election, undermine the trust that Americans place in their democratic institutions. As the country continues to grapple with the complexities of election security, cases like Laiss’s serve as a reminder of the need for vigilance and accountability.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Pennsylvania
- Location: PA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News