By Sheri-kae McLeod
(Source:CNW)
A South Florida man has been charged with federal crimes for using a false identity to apply for a U.S. passport and vote in multiple general elections.
Ashley R. Rivers, 64, of Margate, Florida, is accused of submitting a passport application in 2016 under a fictitious name using fraudulent documents, including a fake birth certificate. Rivers, who is not a U.S. citizen, allegedly registered to vote in 2020 and cast ballots in both the 2020 and 2024 general elections.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida, did not state where Rivers is originally from.
Rivers made his initial appearance in federal court in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in federal prison. The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Conklin of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). The DSS Miami Field Office is investigating the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Killoran prosecuting.
Rivers is the latest in a string of identity theft and voter fraud cases in Broward County. Just earlier this month, Carlos Abreu, 36, of Sunrise, Florida, admitted in federal court to using the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen living in Puerto Rico to register to vote and cast ballots in the 2016 and 2020 federal elections. Abreu’s case also includes charges of identity theft, firearm possession as an undocumented immigrant, and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled for sentencing on June 10, 2025.
Abreu entered the U.S. illegally in 2007 and began using the stolen identity of “C.R.V.” to obtain a Florida driver’s license, register to vote, and purchase firearms. He also attempted to secure U.S. passports for himself and his daughters in 2021 under the stolen identity.
The cases of Rivers and Abreu highlight a concerning trend of fraudulent activity in Broward County, raising questions about the integrity of voter registration processes and the protection of U.S. citizens’ identities.
