Nicole Torres, Extortion and Mail Fraud, New York 2024

Nicole Torres, a 44-year-old elected district leader in the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right and conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

The crimes, which occurred from at least 2019 through August 2024, involved Torres abusing her position to extort payments from Bronx residents in exchange for selecting them as poll workers and falsifying documents to make it appear that certain individuals had worked as poll workers when they had not.

According to the indictment, Torres received at least approximately $28,000 in illegal payments and personally obtained at least approximately $36,000 in fraud proceeds.

The scheme involved Torres requiring Bronx residents to pay a sum of money, usually $150, either to her or to a local organization in exchange for selecting them as poll workers. Torres also falsified the Forms Booklet to make it appear that certain individuals worked as poll workers when they had not.

Torres’s actions were part of a larger scheme to corrupt the selection and placement of poll workers in the Bronx. Her abuse of power and position of trust has been a major concern for the community.

Torres is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil on July 8, 2025. The maximum potential sentence is 20 years in prison for each count. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department conducted the investigation.

This case highlights the importance of rooting out corruption in local government and protecting the integrity of elections. The office of Acting United States Attorney Matthew Podolsky is committed to holding public officials accountable for their actions.