In San Francisco’s Tenderloin, three ski‑masked men set up a folding table on Leavenworth Street, handing out $5 bills and pizza slices to passersby who signed a ballot petition. Many onlookers were unhoused, some clutching drug paraphernalia as they signed. The exchange violates California law, which forbids paying signatories and requires that only registered voters’ names count. State officials have opened a criminal probe into the scheme.

The illicit market has ballooned because a proposed billionaires’ tax sparked a $45 million fundraising push by Building a Better California, backed by Google co‑founder Sergey Brin and venture capitalists John Doerr and Michael Moritz. Campaigns pay signature‑gatherers up to $15 per valid name, while some operatives illegally compensate the public, turning the petition process into a bidding war. Even when petitions are rejected, gatherers receive payment, raising concerns about donor fund misuse.

Election officials, led by Secretary of State Shirley Weber, say they are coordinating with the San Francisco Police and District Attorney to root out fraud. Campaign spokespersons assert a zero‑tolerance stance, arguing that paying signers steals donor money. Tech‑sector investors monitor the fallout, fearing reputational risk for backers linked to high‑profile donors. Prosecutors have already secured convictions in past cycles, and the current inquiry aims to bar similar schemes.