Just a few months after a voter discrimination lawsuit was settled with some Hasidic voters in Bloomingburg, a major housing developer in the village is accused of bringing in false voters to swing the 2014 village elections. Jackson Wang has more on the federal indictment, which some residents say is no surprise.

BLOOMINGBURG, N.Y. -- For years, many in the village of Bloomingburg and the surrounding area have been calling for an investigation into alleged voter fraud.

A federal indictment was handed up Thursday, charging developer Shalom Lamm, along with real estate developer Kenneth Nakdimen, and business associate Volvy Smilowitz with conspiracy to corrupt the electoral process.

“I was taken back, I was pretty sad because I wanted to believe in him and I wanted to believe he came here to do better for this community and I don’t think he did at all,” said Jennifer O’Connell, a Bloomingburg business owner.

According to a 14-page indictment, the three are accused of registering people to vote in the 2014 Bloomingburg election who did not actually live there. Federal prosecutors say it was all in order to elect people who favored Lamm's Chestnut Ridge development.

“It was a start to something I think everyone in the village and neighboring community has been waiting for,” said Teek Persaud, a Bloomingburg resident and business owner.

Among other things, the indictment says the three paid people to find false voters. They're even accused of putting toothbrushes and toothpaste in vacant homes to make it look like they were occupied.

"When you look at all the evidence and add it all up, no, not a surprise,” O’Connell said.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, "Profit-driven corruption of democracy cannot be allowed to stand no matter who does it or where it happens.”

As part of the case, Former Mamakating Town Supervisor Harold Baird pleaded guilty to conspiracy to submit false voter registration. He admitted his goal was to run for office and vote in Bloomingburg in 2014, even though he didn't live there.

Lamm denied the charges against him. A statement from his attorney read, "Shalom Lamm has been aware of this investigation for almost three years, and is eager to defend himself against this unfounded charge. We intend to fight the charge vigorously at trial."

"It took a very long time and it’s about time it started to come to justice,” Persaud said.

If convicted, each of the three defendants faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.