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DOJ Charges 28 California Residents With Illegal Voting Fraud

By Drooid · Oct 23, 2026, 2:08 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

DOJ Charges Illegal Voting

U.S. Department of Justice charged 28 California permanent residents with illegal voting and false citizenship claims.
Federal agents arrested 11 defendants on Oct. 19.
Charges include fraudulent voter registration, illegal voting, and false naturalization statements, punishable by up to five years.
The DOJ provided California a list of over 20,000 registrants it believes may be non-citizens.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter warned each illegal vote “cancels out” a lawful American’s vote.

Summary

Omar Muñoz Denies

Omar Muñoz denied ever registering to vote and suggested his identity was stolen.
He claimed another person may have used his name and Social Security number to cast ballots.
Attorney Megan McLoughlin said the charge against Giezell Viduya Adawag is unprecedented and traumatizing.
Giezell Viduya Adawag was released on her own recognizance after her first federal court appearance.

History

Historical Context

The Department of Justice and FBI have periodically pursued voter-fraud cases, but research shows such prosecutions are exceedingly rare—averaging about 1.5 defendants per state each year as of 2022. Historians note that exaggerated non-citizen fraud claims date back to the 1800s and have resurfaced in recent California indictments, reflecting a long-standing pattern of political pressure rather than widespread illegal voting.

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DOJ Charges Illegal Voting

U.S. Department of Justice charged 28 California permanent residents with illegal voting and false citizenship claims.
Federal agents arrested 11 defendants on Oct. 19.
Charges include fraudulent voter registration, illegal voting, and false naturalization statements, punishable by up to five years.
The DOJ provided California a list of over 20,000 registrants it believes may be non-citizens.
Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter warned each illegal vote “cancels out” a lawful American’s vote.

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