Ex-GOP Leader Nicole Torres Sentenced for Poll Worker Fraud

Nicole Torres, a former Republican leader for the 81st Assembly District and New York City Board of Elections, BOE, employee, was sentenced to two years in prison Sept. 2 for extortion and mail fraud. 

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Torres pleaded guilty April 17 to two scams tied to her time at the BOE, where she worked from 2016 to 2024. 

In the first, Torres illegally charged applicants usually $150 to secure a spot as a poll worker. This started in 2019, when she became a Republican district leader. 

According to the unsealed indictment from 2024, poll workers were chosen either by applying to the BOE, or by recommendation from a district leader, with recommended residents typically given preference. 

New York instituted early voting in 2019 under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo to increase voter turnout, which also gave financial incentive to election workers, who had the chance to work 10 days, earning about $2,750. 

BOE annual reports show the number of Bronx poll workers rose between 2016 and 2020. Participation increased from 3,826 to 5,096 in the primary election, a 25 percent jump. In the general election, the number of poll workers grew from 6,185 to 11,078 — a 44 percent increase.

Payments in the scheme were made through mobile apps, money orders and checks. In the latter two cases, documents were addressed to either Torres or “the Bronx Organization,” details of which have not been made public. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Torres and the organization both profited from the scam, though Torres sometimes altered the payee line from “the Bronx Organization” to “Nicole Torres” so she could deposit the money into her personal account. In all, Torres received about $28,000 in illegal payments from duped poll workers. 

In the second scam, starting in 2018, Torres falsified poll-worker timesheets, making it appear absent employees had worked. This enabled Torres and unnamed co-conspirators to collect those workers’ salaries, sometimes through mail, and split them amongst themselves. Torres stole about $36,000 using this method. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the BOE did not respond to requests for comment. 

In addition to two years in prison, Torres was sentenced to three years of supervised release and will have to repay $40,970 to the government for the money she made. She will also give $149,845.59 to victims of the scams as reimbursement, according to the city’s department of investigation.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, a Democrat, told The Press Torres is the exception among elected officials, not the rule.

“Most of them work hard and do the right thing,” Dinowitz said. “And I resent tremendously when another elected official does something wrong, because a lot of people will distrust all of us.” 

Torres unsuccessfully tried to unseat Dinowitz in the 2020 election. 

Abigail Martin, a Democratic leader in the 81st Assembly District, told The Press Torres’ case underscores the need for greater transparency in politics. 

“Public trust is the foundation of a functioning democracy,” Martin said. “When political leaders abuse that trust for their personal gain, it’s not just illegal, it’s extremely damaging to the public perception of our election system. That’s the last thing we need right now.” 

She noted the strain on poll workers, many of whom rely on job opportunities during election season to supplement their income. 

“Many of the poll workers I’ve worked with are retired, and they use the poll-worker income to supplement their Social Security,” Martin said. “Taking advantage of poll workers who need this money is just despicable.”

Torres’ attorney, Amy Gallicchio of Federal Defenders of New York, did not respond to a request for comment by press time.