A federal jury in Sioux City, Iowa, delivered a verdict convicting Kim Phuong Taylor, a resident of Sioux City, for orchestrating a voter fraud scheme during Iowa’s 2020 primary and general elections. Taylor, aged 49, aimed to manipulate votes in favor of her husband in the primary election for Iowa’s 4th U.S. Congressional District in June 2020. Following her husband’s primary loss, Taylor continued her fraudulent activities during the 2020 general election for Woodbury County Supervisor, causing absentee ballots to be fraudulently requested and cast. The scheme involved submitting multiple voter registrations, absentee ballot request forms, and absentee ballots containing false information, with Taylor completing and signing voter forms without proper authorization. Moreover, she encouraged others to sign on behalf of absent relatives, a violation of voting regulations.
The jury found Taylor guilty on 26 counts of providing false information in registering and voting, three counts of fraudulent registration, and 23 counts of fraudulent voting. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date will be scheduled following the preparation of a presentence report, with a federal district court judge responsible for determining the sentence, considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation, jointly conducted by the FBI Omaha Field Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Denver Division, revealed Taylor’s involvement in the fraudulent activities. Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, U.S. Attorney Timothy T. Duax for the Northern District of Iowa, and other law enforcement officials made the announcement regarding the case. Additionally, Trial Attorneys Richard B. Evans and Lauren M. Castaldi from the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Timmons for the Northern District of Iowa, prosecuted the case.
The scheme specifically targeted voters of Vietnamese heritage with limited English comprehension, manipulating election forms and ballots on their behalf. While her husband, Jeremy Taylor, remains uncharged but named as an unindicted co-conspirator, Kim Taylor, free pending sentencing, faces significant potential prison time. The case arose when Woodbury County election officials detected possible voter fraud after two Iowa State University students discovered fraudulent absentee ballots cast in their names. Despite Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Evans acknowledging voter fraud as extremely rare, this case’s extensive and systematic nature sets it apart, raising concerns about electoral integrity.
