A 56-year-old Nigerian woman living in Lynn, Massachusetts, United States, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, has been arrested and charged with allegedly voting illegally in the 2022 midterm elections.
Okafor was also accused of voting in the 2024 presidential primary election despite not being a US citizen.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, identifying Okafor as a Nigerian citizen who was born in Aba, Abia State.
According to the charging documents, Okafor obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but was not a US citizen and had never applied for US citizenship.
Authorities alleged that in July 2022, Okafor submitted a voter registration form in which she certified that she was a US citizen. She was subsequently registered to vote by the City of Lynn and allegedly cast a ballot in the 2022 midterm elections.
Prosecutors further alleged that Okafor submitted another voter registration form in October 2023, again indicating that she was a US citizen.
She was subsequently accused of voting in the 2024 presidential primary election, despite still not being a US citizen.
Okafor was arrested on Wednesday morning and was expected to appear before a federal court in Boston later that day.
The charge of unlawfully voting as an alien carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. Authorities also said she could face deportation after serving any sentence imposed by the court.
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 US Attorney’s Office said the case is connected to its Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, established in March 2026 to investigate fraud-related offences across Massachusetts.
However, authorities stressed that the allegations against Okafor have not been proven in court and that she remains presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
