A federal investigation has revealed troubling allegations involving a noncitizen who authorities say voted in multiple U.S. presidential elections despite having been ordered deported years earlier.
According to a document filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Mauritanian national Mahady Sacko allegedly cast ballots in five presidential elections after he was supposed to be removed from the United States.
The affidavit, submitted by FBI Special Agent Mickel McGann, states that Sacko was originally ordered deported in 2000. That removal order was later upheld in 2002 after an appeal.
Despite the order, records show Sacko allegedly voted in general elections in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and the 2024 election for federal office. Investigators also say he voted in the 2016 and 2020 primary elections.
According to the affidavit, on each of those occasions Sacko “falsely represented that he was a U.S. citizen.”
The investigation also uncovered multiple instances where Sacko allegedly registered to vote despite not being a citizen. Records show he registered through voter registration drives in 2006, 2012, and 2016.
In addition, investigators say he registered through Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation in 2008, 2016, and 2019.
The affidavit states that on registration applications submitted in 2006, 2012, 2016, and 2020, Sacko allegedly identified himself as a U.S. citizen. Authorities also say he registered again in October 2020 and once more prior to the 2024 election.
Voting records cited in the investigation show that Sacko registered as a Democrat, though the affidavit does not indicate which candidates he supported in the elections he allegedly voted in.
Agent McGann also compared the signatures attached to multiple voter registration records under the name Mahady Sacko. According to the affidavit, the signatures “appear consistent,” leading investigators to conclude that there is probable cause to believe federal election laws were violated.
Under U.S. law, any person who knowingly attempts to defraud the public by casting fraudulent ballots can face significant penalties, including fines or up to five years in prison.
The affidavit accompanies a criminal complaint accusing Sacko specifically of fraudulent voting during the 2024 election. The complaint itself focuses on that election cycle, though the affidavit outlines the broader history of alleged voting activity.
The case also highlights Sacko’s previous encounters with immigration enforcement.
According to the affidavit, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested him in Philadelphia in 2007. However, authorities were unable to carry out the deportation because Sacko lacked the proper passport needed for the removal process.
Since 2011, he has reportedly been required to check in with ICE under immigration supervision, doing so 19 times.
The case arrives as lawmakers in Washington debate new measures aimed at strengthening election security. One proposal currently being considered in the U.S. Senate is the SAVE America Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote and voter identification when casting ballots in federal elections.
Supporters of the legislation argue that safeguards like these are essential for protecting the integrity of American elections.
And while cases like this are now being investigated through the legal system, they also highlight a broader point many Americans agree on: the nation’s election system must remain secure, transparent, and trusted — principles that remain fundamental to the strength of American democracy
