Aliens Charged with Illegally Voting in a Federal Election and Making False Statements While Applying for U.S. Citizenship

NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury returned separate Indictments charging two Bergen County men with illegally voting in a federal election and making false statements while applying for United States citizenship, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.

According to the Indictments, which were returned on December 22, 2025, both Muhammad Muzammal, 37, and Muhammad Shakeel, 62, were non-citizens at the time they registered to vote in New Jersey. However, on their registration forms, both men falsely certified and attested that they were United States citizens. After their applications to register were approved, each of the men, still without United States citizenship, cast ballots in the in the November 2020 general election, which included the election for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States. In order to register to vote and vote in federal elections, a person must be a United States citizen.

The Indictments also allege that after they illegally voted in a federal election, Muhammad Muzammal and Muhammad Shakeel each applied to become United States citizens by submitting applications for naturalization (an “N-400”).  An N-400 requires the applicant to swear under penalty of perjury that the information they provide in their application is complete, true, and correct.  In their respective N-400s, both men falsely claimed that they had never registered to vote or voted in any Federal, state, or local elections.

After they submitted their N-400s, both men were interviewed by an Immigration Services Officer who placed them under oath and questioned them about the answers that the men provided in their respective N-400s.  During those interviews, both Muhammad Muzammal and Muhammad Shakeel again falsely asserted that they had never voted in any Federal, state, or local elections.

Muhammad Shakeel, will make his initial appearance before a Magistrate in federal District Court in Trenton on January 21, 2026, and his case has been assigned to District Judge Georgette Castner. Muhammad Muzammal, whose case has been assigned to District Judge Karen M. Williams, will make his initial appearance in federal District Court in Camden on a date to be determined.

If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum sentences:

Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, under the direction of District Director John Thompson, with the investigations.

This case was brought under the United States Attorney’s Office’s Election Integrity Task Force, a coalition of federal law enforcement partners focused on preserving and protecting the integrity of elections conducted in the District of New Jersey.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.

The charges and allegations contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.                                                  

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Defense counsel:

Rizwan M. Khalid, Esq., (for Muhammad Muzammal and Muhammad Shakeel)