Filipino national charged with unlawfully voting

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Filipino national living on Oahu and Maui was charged Wednesday with unlawfully voting as an alien.

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U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Bernadette Acaso, 19, was charged by criminal complaint for allegedly casting a mail-in ballot in the 2024 general election.

According to court records, Acaso was born in the Philippines and came to the U.S. around 2018.

She came on an immigrant visa and then became a lawful permanent resident, court records show.

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Acaso admitted in a statement to law enforcement that she understood she was not a citizen at the time she voted, according to Sorenson’s office.

If convicted, Acaso faces up to one year in prison, plus a term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000.

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The FBI and HSI are investigating the case.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner is prosecuting the case.