A Massachusetts man has been charged with fraudulent voter registration and voting after allegedly impersonating his former landlord to cast a ballot in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, according to a federal complaint filed Wednesday.
Yupeng Sun, 33, of Andover, was arrested on Aug. 19 and charged with one count of fraudulent voter registration and one count of fraudulent voting. Prosecutors allege Sun used the identity of his former landlord, identified as J.L., to register to vote online on Oct. 10, 2024, and later cast an early ballot in J.L.’s name at Malden City Hall on Oct. 31, 2024.
The complaint states that J.L. is a Chinese citizen and lawful permanent resident (green-card holder) who is not eligible to vote in U.S. elections. State voter records cited in the complaint indicate the ballot cast under J.L.’s name was marked as “accepted” for the Nov. 5, 2024, election. The complaint does not specify which candidates were selected on the ballot.
During a recorded interview with federal investigators on July 23, 2026, Sun allegedly admitted to registering J.L. to vote and casting the ballot in his name. When shown a screenshot of J.L.’s voter registration, Sun responded, “I tell you the truth, I register,” according to the complaint. Investigators also allege Sun later identified himself as J.L. when submitting the early voting ballot at Malden City Hall.
Immigration Consequences and Dispute Background
The complaint further alleges that Sun also forged immigration forms in J.L. and his wife’s names, leading to the confiscation of their green cards and initiation of removal proceedings. An immigration judge restored J.L. and his wife’s legal permanent resident status in January 2026 after finding their testimony credible and forensic evidence that they had not signed the forms.
Court documents indicate Sun had previously rented a room from J.L. and his family in Malden. The relationship later deteriorated, with civil litigation and disputes cited in the complaint. Prosecutors allege Sun was arrested in 2023 on assault-and-battery charges involving J.L.’s adult daughter, though those charges were dismissed.
Federal Response and Ongoing Investigation
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced the charges in a statement Wednesday. The complaint does not indicate whether Sun has retained legal counsel. Federal investigators have not publicly detailed additional motives or connections beyond the alleged voting fraud and immigration-related actions.
The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth and Malden election officials have not responded to requests for confirmation on whether the ballot cast under J.L.’s name was included in the final certified vote count. The Department of Homeland Security also did not provide immediate comment when reached by Newsweek.
The case is ongoing, with further proceedings pending in federal court.