ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — July 24, 2025 — Craig Callaway, a former Atlantic City Council President and influential political organizer, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for orchestrating a fraudulent mail-in ballot scheme during the November 8, 2022 general election, announced U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.
The 64-year-old Atlantic County resident pleaded guilty to one count of depriving New Jersey voters of a fair election process before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court.
According to court documents, starting in October 2022, Callaway directed others to recruit individuals in Atlantic City to serve as unauthorized “messengers” for mail-in ballots, promising payments between $30 and $50 per person.
Callaway’s operation involved:
Distributing Vote-By-Mail applications to these messengers
Having them falsely sign and present identification at the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office to obtain ballots
Collecting ballots from the messengers instead of delivering them to the intended voters
New Jersey law requires messengers to deliver ballots directly to voters and certify they will do so. Instead, ballots collected by Callaway’s team were cast without voter authorization.
Investigators found many ballots were cast in the names of individuals who confirmed they neither voted nor authorized anyone to vote on their behalf. These fraudulent ballots were counted in the 2022 election.
U.S. Attorney Habba emphasized the importance of protecting election integrity, stating, “This sentence sends a clear message that undermining New Jersey’s elections carries serious consequences.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy added, “Voter fraud will not be tolerated.”
In addition to the prison term, Callaway was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the FBI, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Atlantic City Police Department, New Jersey State Police, U.S. Department of Labor and Agriculture Inspector General offices, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The case is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James H. Graham from the Special Prosecutions Division, highlighting the federal commitment to prosecuting election fraud and safeguarding democratic processes.
