Six foreign nationals living in the Antelope and San Fernando valleys are facing federal charges alleging they illegally registered and voted in California then lied about it on their forms to become naturalized United States citizens, authorities announced Monday.

The defendants were among roughly 20,000 suspected non-citizen voters included on a list sent by the federal government to California election officials, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The latest defendants charged with allegedly making false statements on their naturalization applications are:

— Sirgalahad Camua, 43, a citizen of the Philippines who resides in Palmdale;

— Krystel Capi Valle, 31, a Mexican national living in Palmdale;

— Moria Dahan, 35, an Israeli national living in West Hills;

— Chad Goertz, 52, a Canadian citizen living in Agua Dulce;

— Mahyar Nikzad, 35, an Iranian national living in Canoga Park; and

— Gilberto Ruiz, 46, a citizen of Mexico who resides in Palmdale.

The charges are a part of “Operation Protect the Vote,” an ongoing federal effort in California to root out alleged fraud in U.S. elections and protect electoral integrity, prosecutors said Monday. Officials said 34 people have now been charged in the effort.

“Today, my office announces criminal charges against six additional non-citizens for unlawfully registering and voting in our elections,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement.

“There are thousands of suspected non-citizens on California’s voter rolls, and we renew our request for California to expeditiously work with us to verify the citizenship of those casting ballots in elections,” he said. “Every illegal vote cast and counted cancels the legitimate vote of an American citizen. We will continue to arrest and prosecute those who threaten our democratic republic through unlawful vote dilution.”

The latest defendants were scheduled to make their initial appearances Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

Camua allegedly illegally registered to vote in August 2009 by falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen. He voted by mail-in ballot in May 2020, November 2024 and June 2026, Essayli claims.

In May 2025, Camua filed paperwork seeking to become a naturalized U.S. citizen and, under penalty of perjury, falsely stated that he had neither claimed to be a U.S. citizen nor had he registered to vote in U.S. elections, according to the complaint.

If convicted, each defendant could face up to five years in federal prison, authorities said.