Federal agents have entered Los Angeles’ Skid Row district as part of a voter fraud investigation tied to explosive allegations that homeless residents were paid cash to register for elections and forge signatures ahead of the city’s mayoral race.

The operation, conducted by federal officers on Thursday morning, targets claims made by Skid Row residents who stated they received money to sign multiple voter registration forms, complete ballot applications, and cast votes for incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and Councilwoman Nithya Raman during the recent mayoral election.

Sources on scene reported approximately 20 agents were active in the area before noon, interviewing individuals and collecting information. Federal authorities confirmed they are investigating a criminal matter, though the FBI declined to provide specific details about ongoing operations.

The allegations center on Skid Row residents who claimed after Election Day they were paid cash by an individual to support Mayor Bass’s candidacy while avoiding endorsement of Spencer Pratt in the primary race. One resident identified as Kevin Shepherd stated he received $4 to vote for Bass, noting that Pratt was not among candidates encouraged to be supported.

The investigation follows a related federal case where Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, a former signature collector for ballot initiatives in Los Angeles County, was charged with paying people to register to vote. Prosecutors alleged Armstrong gathered voter registration forms from the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters and then took them to Skid Row to induce homeless individuals to sign petitions and complete registrations.

A critical detail in this case involved some residents using addresses they did not live at, creating potential for mail ballots to be delivered incorrectly—a concern previously investigated by both the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The probe is part of a broader pattern of concerns about California voter rolls. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli noted earlier that California was blocking federal audits of its voter registration records and highlighted specific forms of identification accepted for first-time voters.

Additional data from the investigation reveals over 7,600 registered voters linked to shelters and social service organizations, including 1,160 registrations connected to the Midnight Mission in Skid Row. A Venice homeless services drop-in center was also found with 185 registered voters tied to its address, and the organization received a $600,000 taxpayer-funded grant while Councilwoman Raman chaired the City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee.

Federal investigators are now seeking evidence connecting alleged cash payments, registration practices, ballot addresses, and voter behavior to determine if this constitutes systemic voter fraud that undermines election integrity.