Hugo awards reveal thousands spent on fraudulent votes to help one writer win

The Hugo Awards organizers disclosed that nearly 400 votes, constituting about 10% of all votes, were fraudulently purchased to assist a specific finalist in winning. The Hugo administration subcommittee identified 377 votes with fake names or disqualifying characteristics, mostly favoring "Finalist A." These votes were notably different from typical patterns, prompting an investigation. While there is no evidence Finalist A was involved, the subcommittee removed the fraudulent votes from the final count to uphold the awards' integrity. The scheme likely cost over £16,965, involving the purchase of World Science Fiction Society memberships. Despite the incident, the subcommittee assured voters that the legitimate ballots were fairly counted and winners were not affected. The Hugo Awards, a prestigious recognition in science fiction and fantasy writing, will proceed with the winners' announcement at the Worldcon convention in Glasgow. The incident follows previous controversies, including authors being excluded from last year's shortlists due to sensitivities in China.