Jewish Developer’s Pal Pleads Guilty In Bloomingburg Voter Fraud Case
Image by Josh Nathan-Kazis
By Josh Nathan-Kazis May 30, 2017
One of three men indicted in a vote fraud scam in the upstate New York village of Bloomingburg pled guilty in federal court on Thursday.
Kenneth Nakdimen faces a maximum jail term of five years for his role in signing up ineligible voters to participate in village elections in Bloomingburg in order to smooth the way for a real estate development meant for the Satmar Hasidic community.
Nakdimen was one of three men indicted in the vote fraud scam in December. Shalom Lamm, who lead the development project, also faces charges; he has not pled guilty.
The charges came after years of conflict in Bloomingburg over the controversial project. In the weeks before the arrest of Nakdimen and his colleagues, the Satmar community appeared to have won the long fight. The charges threw that into question. But in the months since the arrests, the Hasidic community in Bloomingburg has continued to grow, with a new school for Satmar boys opening in April.
Contact Josh Nathan-Kazis at [email protected] or on Twitter, @joshnathankazis.
I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
