Six volunteers working for New York City Council candidate Yu-Ching James Pai were indicted for voter fraud, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday.
Pai denied any wrongdoing by his team members, but told Documented, “I’m confident that my team is very legit.” Pai added that he respects the work and process of the District Attorney’s office. “It’s their job to investigate cases,” he said.
The volunteers face a 161-count indictment, which includes charges of “criminal possession of a forged instrument, falsifying business records, illegal voting, and other crimes” related to an alleged scheme to submit falsified absentee ballot applications, according to the attorney’s office.
Sydnee Pai, 19; Li Zhen Wan, 46; Yee Ping Yam, 53; Lisbeth Cheng, 24; and Crystal You, 20, were arraigned on Thursday before Supreme Court Justice Leigh K. Cheng. All six volunteered for City Council Republican candidate Pai’s campaign during the June 2023 Primary for New York City Council District 20. No charge has been filed against Pai in this case.
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Pai confirmed that the 19-year-old defendant, Sydnee Pai, is his daughter. “I feel sorry for them; they just wanted to help, but now their reputations are tarnished.” He referenced a 2023 voter fraud case filed against him by his then Republican opponent Jinliang Chen, saying, “The case was dismissed, but the defendants’ names can still be found online.”
In 2023, Chen, who ran alongside Pai for the Republican candidacy for New York City Council District 20, accused Pai of voter fraud. However, the judge ultimately dismissed the case due to insufficient evidence.
The Queens District Attorney’s office noted in Thursday’s indictment that the defendants fraudulently applied for and submitted absentee ballots in the names of 23 Queens County voters. The voters told investigators they had neither filled out nor signed the applications and had never met the defendants.
Chen’s lawyer, Aaron Foldenauer, told Documented that the number of absentee ballots in Pai’s campaign “was unusually high” when absentee ballots normally comprise 10% to 20% of the votes. “The fraudulent ballots documented in today’s indictments are just the tip of the iceberg,” said Foldenauer. “According to my analysis and the work of our handwriting expert, over 500 fraudulent absentee ballots were submitted in connection with this City Council election—in a race that was decided by just 181 votes.”
“Our democracy relies on integrity at the voting booth, and we will not allow that to be compromised in Queens County,” District Attorney Katz said in a statement.
Pai, an immigrant from Taiwan and a licensed accountant, operates accounting firms in Chinatown and Flushing, according to his campaign website. He ran against Sandra Ung for the District 20 Council Member seat in both 2021 and 2023, but Ung won both elections by a large margin.
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Several leaders in the Chinese community expressed regret over Pai’s case as Thursday’s indictment is one of multiple election scandals that have recently troubled the Chinese community.
Earlier this year, Mayor Adams’ top aide, Winnie Greco, had her home searched by the FBI after being exposed for questionable fundraising practices and allegations of unethical conduct. Dao Yin, a Democratic candidate for State Assembly, was also reported for fake donations, which helped him secure more than $162,000 for his campaign.
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Peter Tu, chief advisor of the Flushing Chinese Business Association and a long-term Chinese community activist, said that he believes Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz is very rigorous and will not prosecute without solid evidence.
“From another perspective, Yu-Ching Pai’s indictment serves as a warning to Chinese individuals aspiring to enter politics,” he said. “The law is the law, and even a slight misstep can lead to legal trouble.” He added, “I am an old friend of Mr. Pai’s father and hope he can defend himself and overcome this difficult situation. Recently, the Chinese community has been facing numerous issues, making it hard to take a break.”
Jerry Lo, a long-time activist in Queens, told Documented that he hoped the allegation wasn’t true. “But it happened,” he said. He noted that he has observed some candidates in recent years treating elections as a business rather than running to serve the community. “The city’s matching fund program is intended to encourage civic engagement,” he said, “but it has also presented to some as an opportunity to make money.” He expressed sadness over the situation, especially for the two younger defendants, saying, “They are still young, but this will leave a criminal record for them.”
The defendants’ court date is set for Sept. 19 and they each face up to 7 years in prison if convicted of the top charge.
