The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Thursday that it thwarted an identity fraud scheme linked to fake signatures for ballot initiatives in California.
The Department of Justice put out a news release stating that a San Bernardino County man had been arrested on a federal grand jury indictment “charging him and two other defendants with paying people on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles to sign petitions using stolen identities of registered voters to qualify initiatives on ballots in California elections.”
James Brass, 47, also known as “Lord,” of Victorville, was charged, along with two petition circulators, Courtney Price, 49, of Jacksonville, Florida, and Jateisha Herron, 33, of Boron, California.
FBI Director Kash Patel commented about the case on X, writing, “This morning, the FBI and our partners arrested a subject near Los Angeles for allegedly paying homeless individuals on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles to sign petitions in support of ballot initiatives—all using stolen identities of registered voters. Two additional petition circulators have also been charged in the investigation.”
“All three subjects are charged with conspiracy to commit identity fraud in furtherance of a state felony, among other charges,” he continued. “Securing American elections from criminal interference is of the utmost importance to this FBI. If you mess with our elections, this FBI will find you.”
🚨 This morning, the FBI and our partners arrested a subject near Los Angeles for allegedly paying homeless individuals on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles to sign petitions in support of ballot initiatives—all using stolen identities of registered voters.
Two additional…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 10, 2026
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Undercover journalist James O’Keefe also posted about the indictments on social media, citing an investigation by O’Keefe Media Group from earlier this year.
“Our LA Skid Row undercover investigation captured people being offered cash to sign petitions and register to vote, including individuals being provided addresses to use on voter registration forms. Brass (“LORD”) is now in custody,” he wrote on X.
“He will appear in the riverside federal court this afternoon for his bond hearing. Now, according to the DOJ indictment, defendants used a voter database called SIGVALID to obtain the identities of registered California voters, gave those identities to petition signers, and paid them to fraudulently sign petitions in those voters’ names. Brenda Brown Armstrong, who was featured in our original reporting, has already been charged.”
BREAKING NEWS: DOJ INDICTS HIGHER-UPS IN LA SKID ROW PETITION FRAUD SCHEME EXPOSED BY O’KEEFE
Earlier this year, our LA Skid Row undercover investigation captured people being offered cash to sign petitions and register to vote, including individuals being provided addresses to… https://t.co/ciCVjn60Md pic.twitter.com/MPjEh3tCsn
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) September 10, 2026
First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said, “These defendants are charged with using stolen identities of registered voters to manufacture signatures on ballot petitions used to shape California law.”
“They allegedly used people, including members of Skid Row’s vulnerable homeless population, to try to cover up their tracks,” he explained. “The charged conduct undermines the confidence voters have in our election systems, and we will vigorously investigate and charge anyone involved.”
Patrick Grandy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, issued a statement saying that election integrity is of the utmost importance in the U.S., and it must be protected.
“It is imperative that Americans have confidence in our voting system and election infrastructure,” Grandy said. “The scheme outlined in today’s indictment sought to undermine an essential pillar of our democracy and cause an undue burden on taxpayers.”
He added, “We will remain vigilant in detecting those trying to weaken our political process and we will aggressively investigate any allegations of voter fraud or other election crimes.”
The California Constitution allows voters to circumvent lawmakers and enshrine statutes or constitutional amendments by voting on them, but each measure must first reach a certain signature threshold before it can be considered.
According to the DOJ, proposed initiatives must receive 546,651 valid signatures, and proposed amendments must garner 874,641. Proponents have six months to gather the signatures and must submit them no later than four months before election day.
The indictment stated that Brass oversaw a team of signature collectors from February to August. They allegedly committed fraud by claiming that they witnessed valid signature transitions, under penalty of perjury.
Brass reportedly received about $41,600 for his efforts from a petition management company.
The defendants are potentially facing a maximum of five years in federal prison for each count, but remain innocent until proven guilty.
The FBI is continuing to investigate the matter.
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