New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani faces two criminal referrals filed Tuesday by the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, which accuses his campaign of accepting illegal foreign donations.

The referrals, sent to the U.S. Department of Justice and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, cite potential violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act and New York Election Code. According to the filings, Mamdani’s campaign allegedly received nearly $13,000 from at least 170 donors with non-U.S. addresses, including one contribution from his mother-in-law in Dubai.

Foundation president Dan Backer called it “a sustained pattern of foreign money flowing into a New York City mayoral race,” insisting the campaign ignored repeated warnings. The group has previously targeted Democratic figures such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Hillary Clinton.

Under federal law, it is illegal to accept contributions from foreign nationals in any election. Individuals who knowingly do so may face fines or imprisonment. Although Mamdani’s campaign refunded several questionable donations, watchdogs claim at least 88 contributions totaling $7,190 remain unreturned.

Campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec responded that some donors with overseas addresses are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, which is legal. She said the campaign has “a rigorous compliance process” and will promptly refund any impermissible funds.

The campaign has raised roughly $4 million privately and $12.7 million in public matching funds, leaving $6.1 million cash on hand with less than a month before Election Day.

The allegations arrive as Mamdani—an avowed socialist leading the polls—faces growing scrutiny over campaign ethics and donor vetting, with federal and local authorities now reviewing the referrals.