Ex-Plainfield Mayoral Candidate Pleads Guilty to Voter Fraud Scheme After Dumping Nearly 1,000 Fake Registrations

In a striking example of election manipulation, former Plainfield mayoral candidate Dr. Henrilynn Ibezim pleaded guilty this week to orchestrating a voter fraud scheme that involved submitting nearly 1,000 fraudulent voter registration forms. Prosecutors say Ibezim directed campaign workers to fabricate applications using personal information from unsuspecting individuals and personally delivered a large garbage bag stuffed with these bogus forms to a Union County post office.

The charges against Ibezim, initially filed in October 2023, included election fraud, criminal attempt to commit false registration, tampering with public records, forgery, and hindering prosecution. Under a plea agreement, four of the five counts were dropped and the state is recommending probation rather than jail time. Ibezim’s scheme came during his 2021 bid to unseat Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp in the Democratic primary, where he garnered a mere 103 votes—far less than the number of fraudulent registrations he attempted to submit.

Prosecutors highlighted the suspicious nature of the forms, noting that many bore the same handwriting and failed to disclose that someone other than the named voter had completed them, a clear violation of election laws. Attorney General Jennifer Davenport emphasized the importance of holding bad actors accountable to maintain public trust in elections, stating, “It is crucial to our system of government that those who engage in illegal and bad faith conduct during elections be held accountable.”

The case will return to Superior Court Judge Candido Rodriguez, Jr. for sentencing on June 18. The plea deal comes amid criticism of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), which has struggled to secure convictions in election fraud cases. Notably, a similar indictment against Paterson Councilman and mayoral candidate Alex Mendez was dismissed after nearly six years, underscoring the challenges in prosecuting these crimes.

This case shines a harsh light on the vulnerabilities in our electoral system and the uneven enforcement that threatens to erode democratic integrity. When those who attempt to subvert the vote face minimal consequences, it sends a dangerous message that election fraud is a risk worth taking. We will be watching closely to see if justice is truly served.