A 56-year-old Nigerian woman living in Lynn, Massachusetts, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, has been arrested and charged in the United States over allegations that she illegally voted in the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential primary despite not being a US citizen.
The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced the case on Wednesday, saying Okafor was charged with unlawfully voting as an alien and was expected to appear in federal court in Boston later that day.
The office said: “BOSTON – A Nigerian national residing in Lynn, Mass. has been arrested and charged with illegally voting in the 2022 midterm elections. Defendant also allegedly voted in the 2024 Presidential primary election.”
Okafor was born in Aba, Nigeria, and is a Nigerian citizen, according to the charging documents.
The documents said she obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but was not a US citizen and had not applied for US citizenship at the time of the alleged offences.
The allegations against her date back to July 2022, when she allegedly registered to vote before obtaining her permanent resident status.
The US Attorney’s Office said: “In July 2022, Okafor allegedly submitted a voter registration card, signing her name under a certification which provided ‘I am a citizen of the United States … Signed under penalty of perjury.’ The City of Lynn subsequently registered her to vote, and Okafor allegedly voted in the midterm elections that fall.”
Authorities further alleged that Okafor completed another voter registration in October 2023, again declaring herself a US citizen.
The statement said: “It is further alleged that Okafor submitted a second voter registration form in October of 2023, checking the ‘U.S. Citizen’ box and signing under the US citizen certification. Okafor allegedly voted in the 2024 presidential primary election.”
The charge against Okafor carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000.
The statement added: “The charge of unlawful voting as an alien provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. The defendant may be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed.”
Any sentence would be determined by a federal district court judge under the US Sentencing Guidelines and applicable federal sentencing laws.
The case was announced by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
Assistant US Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution comes after the District of Massachusetts established its Benefit & Voter Fraud Team in March 2026.
The office said: “On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts.”
The Department of Justice also announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division in April 2026, with a mandate to investigate and prosecute fraud against Americans.
The statement said: “On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people.”
However, the US Attorney’s Office emphasized that the allegations against Okafor have not been proven in court.
It stated, “The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.”