Volvy Smilowitz, also known as Zev Smilowitz, 29, of Monroe, pleaded guilty June 18 in White Plains federal court to one count of conspiracy to corrupt the Bloomingburg village electoral process by falsely registering numerous voters who don’t live in the community.
Smilowitz, a real estate consultant, was indicted in 2016 along with two real estate developers, Kenneth Nakdimen of Monsey and Shalom Lamm of Bloomingburg, on charges of bribing people to unlawfully register and vote. ….
Smilowitz, Nakdimen and Lamm had planned housing development projects in Bloomingburg, but their plans met local opposition by late 2013. In an attempt to elect village officials who would be favorable to their projects, they bribed potential voters and falsely registered them in advance to the March 2014 village election. They took steps to cover up their scheme, including creating false leases and placing toothbrushes and toothpaste in unoccupied apartments, officials said.