Mamdani Faces Criminal Referrals To DOJ Over Alleged Illegal Campaign Donations From Foreigners
A prominent campaign finance watchdog has filed two criminal referrals against Zohran Mamdani, the socialist frontrunner for New York City mayor, alleging he accepted illegal foreign campaign contributions in violation of state and federal law.
The Coolidge Reagan Foundation submitted the referrals to the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Tuesday. The group says Mamdani may have violated both the Federal Election Campaign Act and New York’s Election Code.
The move follows a report from The New York Post earlier this month revealing that Mamdani’s campaign received roughly $13,000 in contributions from at least 170 individuals living abroad, including a donation from his own mother-in-law residing in Dubai.
“These are not isolated incidents or clerical errors,” Dan Backer, a national campaign finance expert and president of the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, said in a statement.
“This was a sustained pattern of foreign money flowing into a New York City mayoral race which is a clear violation of both federal law and New York City campaign finance rules,” Backer added. “Mamdani’s campaign was on notice for months that it was accepting illegal foreign contributions, and yet it did nothing meaningful to stop it.”
The Coolidge Reagan Foundation is no stranger to challenging Democratic figures. It has previously filed complaints against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and the Democratic National Committee.
In the latest referral, the group urged both Bragg and federal prosecutors to investigate and, if warranted, pursue charges against Mamdani for accepting campaign money that may have come from donors in Australia, Turkey, France, Canada, Germany, and other foreign countries. The organization says Mamdani’s operation demonstrated a “systematic failure to comply” with campaign finance regulations.
Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, campaigns are strictly prohibited from receiving contributions from non-U.S. citizens in federal, state, or local elections. Those who knowingly accept such donations may face substantial fines and possible prison time.
“The law is crystal clear that foreign nationals may not participate in American elections, and that includes making contributions,” Backer said. “Yet Mamdani’s campaign repeatedly accepted donations from individuals abroad, some even tied to regions and individuals openly sympathetic to hostile actors.”
“Whether through negligence or intent, this conduct undermines the integrity of the democratic process.”
Mamdani’s operation has since returned approximately $9,000 in funds from foreign donors. His campaign has argued that roughly $4,000 of the contributions originated from Americans living overseas, which would be legal.
The New York City Campaign Finance Board reports that, between September 8 and October 20, Mamdani’s team refunded almost $4,000 from 67 foreign donors—including a $2,100 contribution from Dubai-based investor Ada Diaz Ahmed. Yet small-dollar contributions from abroad have continued. In October, foreign donors from the U.K., Australia, and Germany gave a combined $130.
CFB spokesman Daniel Kurzyna acknowledged the issue, stating that the city’s campaign finance platform may need additional safeguards.
“If the city’s campaign finance portal allowed foreign donations to be processed, that is a system issue the Campaign Finance Board must address, and any improper contributions will be returned,” Kurzyna said in a statement.
Mamdani’s campaign says it is continuing to review donations and intends to follow all applicable laws.