Utah officials have filed charges against 11 individuals accused of forging signatures during the candidate nomination process, according to an announcement by the state’s Attorney General’s office on Monday. The accused, who worked as professional signature gatherers, allegedly falsified voter signatures while collecting petition signatures for various political candidates.
The charges stem from an investigation into the work of contractors hired by Gathering Inc., a company responsible for collecting signatures for political campaigns. Among the candidates affected were Governor Spencer Cox, Congressman Blake Moore, former Senate candidate Brad Wilson, and state Senator Don Ipson.
Authorities clarified that the allegedly fraudulent signatures did not count toward any candidates’ official totals. However, the case has raised concerns about the integrity of the signature-gathering process. The investigation primarily focused on petitions circulated in southern Utah.
Tanner Leatham, the owner of Gathering Inc., addressed the allegations, emphasizing that the company employs hundreds of contractors during an election cycle and provides them with proper training. He insisted that Governor Cox had more than enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot without relying on any questionable submissions.
Governor Cox’s campaign echoed this sentiment. Campaign manager Matt Lusty stated that the number of submitted signatures significantly exceeded the state requirement of 28,000. He expressed support for the Attorney General’s efforts and called for full prosecution of those found responsible for fraudulent activities.
The Lieutenant Governor’s office also weighed in, commending county clerks for identifying irregularities in petition packets and supporting the investigation that led to the charges. The office reaffirmed its commitment to election integrity, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for fraudulent practices.
According to the charging documents, several of the accused allegedly had family members sign petitions on behalf of other voters or copied signatures from one document to another. The charges range from forgery to violations of nomination procedures and communications fraud.
Breakdown of Charges:
- Benson Tohikoula Angilau: Nine counts of forgery, one count of communications fraud. Allegedly collected over 2,200 signatures, of which only 84 were valid.
- Axel John-Anthony Burt: Six counts of violating nomination procedures. Allegedly submitted packets where names were signed by spouses or parents.
- Colton Louis Drake: Two counts of forgery, eight counts of violating nomination procedures. Allegedly had voters’ spouses sign for them.
- Robert Randall Edwards: Five counts of forgery. Only 45 of 249 signatures submitted were deemed valid.
- Rocko John Huntsman: Eight counts of forgery, one count of violating nomination procedures, one count of communications fraud. Allegedly admitted to forging signatures to increase earnings.
- Kevin W. Jeong: Four counts of forgery, one count of violating nomination procedures. Allegedly had spouses sign for each other.
- Sakura Jordan (AKA Sakaria Lynn Hunnicutt): Six counts of forgery. Allegedly submitted 115 signatures, of which only 32 were valid.
- Phyllif D. Karpeh: Seven counts of forgery. Allegedly turned in 383 signatures, with less than half found to be valid.
- Arkemi Robinson: Ten counts of forgery. Allegedly submitted 212 signatures, with 62% failing verification.
- Joseph Elias Wilde: Four counts of violating nomination procedures. Allegedly had voters sign for absent family members.
- Denton Williams: Eight counts of forgery. Allegedly turned in 99 signatures, of which only four were valid.
Both the Governor’s and Lieutenant Governor’s offices reiterated their commitment to election transparency and accountability. Officials stressed that the charges serve as a warning to ensure integrity in future election processes.
The Attorney General’s office has declined to provide further comments on the ongoing legal proceedings. The accused individuals remain innocent until proven guilty in a court of law .
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