A Bronx district leader who represents the GOP has been hit with a federal indictment charging her with multiple counts of extortion and conspiracy.
Nicole Torres, who has represented the Republican party for the 81st Assembly district in the northwest section of the borough since 2019, is accused of using her job at the city Board of Elections to scam potential employees and cash fraudulent paychecks. She was arrested Aug. 27, and the District Attorney for the Southern District of New York unveiled a seven-count indictment Wednesday.
Torres, according to the court documents, had worked for the city BOE since 2016, and the alleged illegal conduct took place over a five-year period. At the BOE, part of Torres’ role was to log poll workers’ attendance so they could be paid for hours worked — a task she is accused of exploiting for her personal profit.
According to the indictment, Torres demanded illegal payments for herself and an unnamed Bronx organization from residents applying to be poll workers, who assist and monitor participants during early voting and on Election Day. Half of all poll workers are recommended by the Democratic and Republican district leaders, with the BOE filling leftover vacancies, if any. Some of the prospective poll workers who refused to pay Torres were denied positions, according to the indictment.
The document further charges that Torres — along with unnamed co-conspirators — falsified poll workers’ hours while fraudulently collecting their paychecks. They shared the proceeds and committed fraud and identity theft in the process, the indictment alleges.
In all, Torres is accused of collecting about $28,000 — mostly in $150 increments — in illegal payments from prospective poll workers in exchange for appointments to the position, plus about $36,000 from the falsified hours scheme. Her co-conspirators also collected an unspecified amount of money.
Torres faces a total of seven counts of conspiracy, extortion, wire and mail fraud and identity theft. The first six counts each carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. The seventh count, aggravated identity theft, carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of two years. Court documents also specify that Torres must repay the money she is accused of illegally gaining.
The Bronx Times reached out to Michael Rendino, chair of the Bronx Republican Party, who said in an email that he has been on vacation and “just read about it today.” Whether he previously knew of the investigation or charges before the public announcement was unclear.
“I hope these allegations are not true,” he said.
In an email statement, a BOE spokesperson told the Bronx Times that the agency is “proud to have been a partner in this investigation which has led to the discovery of potential malfeasance isolated to an employee in the Bronx. We continue to send the clear message that any allegation of wrongdoing will be thoroughly investigated and referred to law enforcement immediately.”
Democratic Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz of the 81st district — whom Torres unsuccessfully challenged in 2020 — expressed concern that the charges could damage New Yorkers’ trust in politics and elections.
If Torres is guilty, it “puts a stain on the whole process,” Dinowitz told the Bronx Times.
He said that although he has only met her once or twice, he heard rumors “for months” about the investigation.
“If she did this, it is reprehensible,” especially because poll worker jobs are typically held by New Yorkers who really need the job and the money, Dinowitz said.
He said he was struck by the fact that the accused is a leader within the Republican party. The GOP has strongly spoken out against early voting in recent years, and it’s “so ironic” that Torres is “accused of profiting off the very system they opposed,” said Dinowitz.
The Assembly Member said he was concerned for the number of residents scammed by Torres, which he estimated could be hundreds.
“I hope this is not more widespread,” Dinowitz said.
Similar concerns came from the Bronx Conservative Party, which is separate from the Republican Party. The indictment “sets us back incredibly,” chairperson Patrick McManus told the Bronx Times.
He said he did not personally know Torres, but the Conservative and Republican parties often work together and share many common issues. McManus said his party has been working hard to register voters and, in an era of common political cynicism, convince more and more New Yorkers that their voice matters.
Although Torres is not accused of actions that directly affected an election outcome, the accusations against her “are only going to reinforce what a lot of people already believe — which is that their vote doesn’t count,” McManus said.
“This affects the entire system,” he said.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes