A Texas mayoral candidate with over 100 felony voter‑fraud convictions is back on the ballot, and his case exposes exactly how mail‑in voting can be abused when officials are not vigilant.
Story Snapshot
- Carrollton candidate Zul Mirza Mohamed was arrested on 109 felony voter‑fraud charges tied to mail ballots.
- He later pleaded guilty to over 100 felonies in a Denton County ballot‑by‑mail scheme.
- A jury sentenced him to four years in prison plus 10 years of probation for election crimes.
- Despite this, he has re‑entered politics, raising alarms about election integrity and accountability.
How a Texas mayoral race turned into a massive mail-ballot fraud case
Denton County authorities say the Carrollton mayor’s race in 2020 exposed one of the biggest local mail‑ballot fraud schemes in recent memory.[1] Denton County Elections Administration staff first spotted a pattern of suspicious mail‑ballot applications linked to a supposed nursing home address.[1] Investigators later learned that this “nursing home” was not a care facility at all but a private mail store location set up as a virtual mailbox.[2] At the center of the case was then‑mayoral candidate Zul Mirza Mohamed.[1][2]
The Denton County Sheriff’s Office, working with the Texas Attorney General’s Office and other agencies, arrested Mohamed in October 2020.[1] Officials announced he was charged with 109 felonies related to voter fraud in that city race.[1] Those charges included 25 counts of unlawful possession of a ballot or ballot envelope without the voter’s request and 84 counts of fraudulent use of a mail ballot application.[1] Each count carried serious prison time and fines under Texas law.[1]
What investigators say Mohamed actually did with mail ballots
A later account from the Heritage Foundation’s election‑fraud database and a Denton County judge’s statement lay out the method in plain terms.[2] Mohamed forged ballot‑by‑mail applications in the names of real Carrollton voters, according to those records.[2] He then had the ballots sent to a mail store address, which he had leased using a fake Texas driver’s license and a fake student identification card, not his true identity.[2]
When officers executed a search warrant, they say they found more than just paperwork.[2] A search of Mohamed’s home uncovered fake identification cards, a fake insurance card, a fake notary stamp, and a box filled with Dallas and Denton County ballot applications.[2] Texas Scorecard reports that he was caught with a box of fraudulently obtained mail‑in ballots during the 2020 election period.[3] County officials later praised election staff and law enforcement for catching the scheme before those ballots could quietly shape the outcome.
From 109 charges to over 100 felony convictions and a new campaign
Not every early charge stuck, but the final case was still huge by any standard. The county release listed 109 felony counts at arrest.[1] The Heritage database later summarized the case as 106 felony charges for forging absentee ballot requests, while also saying Mohamed pleaded guilty to 25 counts of Method of Returning Ballot and 81 counts of Fraudulent Use of an Application for Ballot by Mail.[2] A Denton County judge’s archived statement matches that guilty‑plea breakdown and explains that three counts were later dropped.[3]
ZiffyKat Zul Mohamed pleaded guilty to 106 felonies for forging mail ballot applications in his 2020 Carrollton mayoral race. Jury sentenced him to 4 years prison + 10 years probation in 2024. Released on bond while appealing. Texas law allows candidates with non-final…
— Grok (@grok) June 8, 2026
Texas Scorecard reports that after years of legal fights, Mohamed pleaded guilty in 2024 to 84 counts of fraudulent use of an application for ballot by mail and 25 counts of improper method of returning a marked ballot, with three application counts dismissed.[3] A jury then sentenced him to four years in state prison plus 10 years of probation, along with community service, based on those offenses.[2][3] That is more than 100 felony convictions growing out of one local race.
Why this case worries voters about mail-in voting and accountability
For many Texans who care about clean elections, this case hits several nerves at once. First, it shows that one person, running for local office, was able to forge large numbers of mail‑ballot applications and try to route them through a fake nursing‑home address.[1][2] That kind of fraud does not rely on hacking machines or changing software; it targets the weak points in the paper process that is supposed to protect voters who cannot show up in person.
Second, the long time between arrest, plea, and sentencing highlights how slow the system can be in dealing with election crimes.[3] Mohamed’s scheme dated back to the 2020 cycle, yet his sentencing came in 2024.[2][3] During that time, public debate about voter fraud, mail‑in ballots, and trust in elections only grew more heated. Now, even after being convicted on over 100 felonies, he has been able to return to the political arena and even face fresh allegations, including new counts of impersonating a public servant tied to fake jury‑summons mailings.[3]
What conservatives can take from the Mohamed saga going forward
This case does not prove that every election is rigged, but it does prove that serious, organized mail‑ballot fraud can and does happen, even in a single mayor’s race.[1][2][3] Denton County officials caught this scheme because staff noticed something odd and law enforcement followed through.[1] That kind of vigilance, backed by clear laws and real consequences, is exactly what many conservatives have demanded for years to protect the vote of every lawful citizen.
At the same time, the confusing public record around 106 versus 109 counts shows how easy it is for details to get muddy.[1][2][3] Different summaries mix together early charges, later dismissals, plea counts, and final sentencing numbers. That confusion can be used by both sides to spin the story. For readers who value our Constitution and fair elections, the lesson is simple: demand transparency, back officials who enforce election law, and never let anyone tell you voter fraud “never happens” when this Denton County case is now a matter of public record.
Sources:
[1] Web – Texas Mayoral Candidate Has 100+ Felony Election Fraud Convictions
[2] Web – Zul Mirza Mohamed – Election Fraud Map – The Heritage Foundation
