A Marina del Rey woman has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge tied to what prosecutors describe as a years-long scheme involving homeless individuals on Los Angeles’ Skid Row, illegal voter registration activity, and petition signature collection.
Federal prosecutors announced Monday that Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, 64, who also goes by the name “Anika,” accepted a plea agreement on one felony count of paying another person to register to vote in a federal election. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Armstrong spent roughly two decades working as a paid petition circulator for California ballot initiatives, recalls, and referendums. Petition circulators are typically paid based on the number of signatures they collect from registered voters. Authorities allege Armstrong targeted homeless individuals in downtown Los Angeles because they were vulnerable and more likely to accept small payments in exchange for signing petitions and voter registration forms.
Prosecutors said Armstrong offered people small amounts of money — often just $2 or $3 — as well as cigarettes and phone charging cords in exchange for participating. Court documents reviewed by The California Post state that Armstrong sometimes allowed homeless individuals to use her own residential address when filling out voter registration forms. Because California automatically mails ballots to registered voters, prosecutors said this created the possibility that ballots could be sent directly to Armstrong’s home.
Federal officials say the operation evolved over time. While Armstrong initially focused on gathering petition signatures, authorities allege she later began carrying stacks of voter registration forms and encouraging homeless individuals to register so their petition signatures would count as valid.
UNDERCOVER VIDEO ALLEGES CASH-FOR-VOTES SCHEME IN CALIFORNIA
@JamesOKeefeIII‘s hidden-camera investigation shows petitioners were caught handing cash to homeless individuals to register to vote — while allegedly encouraging fake addresses and filming dozens of incidents… pic.twitter.com/Ps7VCYwgN8
— Real America’s Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) May 16, 2026
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said the case raises concerns about election integrity and public confidence in the voting system.
“False registrations undermine Americans’ faith in elections — even more so when payoffs are involved,” Dhillon said in a statement Monday.
Authorities pointed to an alleged incident on Jan. 30, 2026, as part of the criminal case. Prosecutors say Armstrong knowingly compensated an individual to register to vote in a federal election, which violates federal law.
The investigation also drew national attention after conservative activist James O’Keefe released undercover video footage that allegedly showed Armstrong handing cash to homeless individuals while discussing voter registration and petition signatures. In one clip circulated online, a woman identified as Armstrong appears to say, “Now because you haven’t registered, I need to register you so I can get paid too.”
California law does allow homeless individuals to legally vote if they meet eligibility requirements, including citizenship, residency, and age standards. Voters without a traditional home address may legally register using shelters, parks, intersections, or locations where they regularly stay.
Federal prosecutors emphasized that the alleged crime was not homelessness-related voting itself, but rather paying individuals to register and allegedly using false information on registration forms.
Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, said investigators are still trying to determine how widespread the alleged fraud may have been. He also criticized California officials for resisting federal efforts to access and audit state voter rolls.
Armstrong told reporters outside court that she did not believe her actions were serious crimes and described herself as “confused” about the allegations.
“I didn’t think what I was doing was really bad,” Armstrong said before her hearing Monday.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Armstrong is expected to formally enter her guilty plea in the coming weeks as the case moves forward in federal court.
