LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles County prosecutors have charged nine people with felonies alleging they offered money and cigarettes to homeless people on LA's Skid Row in exchange for false and forged signatures on ballot petitions and voter registration forms.

The office of District Attorney Jackie Lacey says in a statement Tuesday the alleged offenses occurred during the 2016 and 2018 election cycles.

Five of the nine defendants were arraigned Tuesday in Superior Court.

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The charges include circulating a petition with false names, use of false names on a petition, and voter fraud by registering fictitious or nonexistent persons.

Prosecutors allege there were hundreds of solicitations for false or forged signatures and homeless people were offered a dollar or cigarettes for participation.