Bronx district leader and Board of Elections employee (R) pleads guilty to conspiracy charges

A former NYC Board of Elections employee and Republican district leader for the 81st Assembly District pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday, April 17, to conspiracy to commit extortion and mail fraud — charges that could carry up to 40 years in prison.

“For five years, Nicole Torres abused her position of public trust as an elected official and City employee by taking bribes and falsifying records in connection with the selection and placement of poll workers in the Bronx,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky in a statement. “Today’s plea highlights this Office’s commitment to rooting out corruption in local government, and to protecting the integrity of poll workers and our elections.”

Nicole Torres, 44, allegedly used her position to operate two illegal schemes targeting current and prospective poll workers in the Bronx. The Bronx Times contacted Torres’ attorney but did not receive a response by press time.

Federal prosecutors said Torres demanded illegal payments, typically $150, from Bronx residents seeking poll worker jobs. The payments were either pocketed by Torres or funneled through an unnamed Bronx organization. In some cases, checks or money orders made out to the organization were allegedly altered so that Torres could cash them herself.



https://www.bxtimes.com/bronx-district-leader-and-board-of-elections-employee-pleads-guilty-to-conspiracy-charges/