The wife of a Republican official in New Jersey has been convicted of her involvement in a widespread voter fraud scheme during the 2020 election. Jennifer Barbosa, wife of former GOP Assemblyman Erik Peterson, was one of eight people indicted for orchestrating an elaborate scheme to defraud voters in multiple New Jersey counties.
The scheme was uncovered by New Jersey prosecutors last year and was connected with the “Operation Monmouth” investigation. In October 2020, authorities had launched an investigation into mail-in ballots cast in Monmouth County. After a two-month long investigation, a grand jury found that Barbosa and her seven conspirators had illegally tampered with mail-in ballots in January 2021.
The group was accused of operating a sham company called “Ocean Water Solutions” in order to solicit and collect applications for mail-in ballots from individuals in Monmouth and Hudson Counties. The individuals would then received their ballots in the mail if they had already registered to vote, but would be asked to vote a certain way. If the individuals failed to comply, Barbosa’s group would then tamper with their ballots to vote for the desired candidate.
A spokesperson for the District Attorney involved in the case, Christopher Gramiccioni, noted that “Voter fraud in any form is a blatant, criminal attack on the very foundation of our democracy. […]We must all work together to ensure that the integrity of our elections is never doubted or questioned because of the actions of a few.”
Barbosa later pleaded guilty to 14 counts of conspiracy, election fraud, and falsifying records, receiving a four-year sentence. Six of her co-conspirators also pleaded guilty, with one, John Maitino, receiving a three-month jail sentence and five years of probation. The remaining two, Shantel Hubbert and Corinna Cortes, are now awaiting sentencing.
The conviction of Barbosa and her conspirators serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving the integrity of elections and the vital role they play in democracy. It also raises serious questions about the lengths some are willing to go to manipulate the democratic process in order to gain political power. As long as these threats exist, it is important to remain vigilant in order to protect the right to a free and fair election.
