Israeli Resident of Los Angeles Arrested in US Voting Investigation

An Israeli citizen living in the Los Angeles suburb of West Hills was arrested Monday on suspicion of illegally voting in the November 2024 US presidential election, the US Department of Justice announced. Moriah Dahan, 35, is among six additional foreign nationals facing federal criminal proceedings in California. The charge against her carries a maximum prison sentence of five years.

According to allegations filed in court, Dahan registered to vote on November 5, 2024, and cast her ballot in person that day after falsely declaring herself a US citizen. Prosecutors also allege that she made false statements in a citizenship application submitted on November 6, 2025. In that application, she said she had never claimed American citizenship or registered to vote in the United States.

Dahan has a green card, giving her lawful permanent resident status and permission to live and work in the country, but not the right to vote in federal elections. Her initial appearance at a federal court in Los Angeles was scheduled for Monday afternoon. The five other newly charged defendants, also arrested Monday, are Los Angeles area residents from the Philippines, Canada, Iran and Mexico, with two holding Mexican citizenship.

The case follows a separate indictment against Yehuda Peer, a 30-year-old Israeli who lives in Merion Station, near Philadelphia. Peer, another green card holder, is accused of voting in the November 2024 presidential election despite knowing he was not a US citizen. The DOJ announced his indictment about a week and a half before Dahan's arrest, and Walla reported the case on October 25.

The California cases fall under Operation Protect the Vote, a federal initiative announced on October 19. Launched at the direction of President Donald Trump's administration, it brings together California's four federal prosecutors' offices and Homeland Security Investigations. Authorities initially disclosed charges against 28 foreign permanent residents and the arrests of 11. The latest six cases raise the number charged under the operation to 34.

The operation forms part of a wider DOJ enforcement effort ahead of the congressional midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3. On October 26, the department announced proceedings involving 48 foreign nationals in five states over alleged election offenses, including illegal voting, false registration and false claims of US citizenship.

Federal officials and California authorities are also contesting the state's voter registration records. The DOJ said it had identified more than 20,000 registered individuals suspected of lacking US citizenship. On October 15, the administration sued California, alleging that the state had refused to help review voter lists and prevent ineligible ballots from being counted. State authorities rejected claims of widespread voter fraud and challenged the reliability of the administration's lists.

Bill Essayli, who leads federal prosecutions in California's Central District, said all 34 defendants appeared on a list the administration had provided to state officials. He said investigations and prosecutions of illegal voting would continue. Erin Burke, who heads Homeland Security Investigations in the Los Angeles area, said investigators would continue pursuing the evidence collected.