A 56-year-old Nigerian woman living in Lynn, Massachusetts, has been arrested in connection with allegations that she voted in United States elections despite not being a US citizen.
The woman, identified as Gladys Adaeze Okafor, is accused of voting in the 2022 midterm elections and later participating in the 2024 presidential primary election.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced the arrest and federal charge on Wednesday, saying Okafor had been charged with unlawfully voting as an alien.
According to federal prosecutors, Okafor was born in Aba, Nigeria, and remains a Nigerian citizen. Court documents reportedly show that she obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but had neither become a US citizen nor applied for citizenship.
The authorities alleged that the Nigerian woman’s alleged illegal voting began before she obtained permanent resident status.
Prosecutors said Okafor submitted a voter registration application in July 2022 and signed a certification stating that she was a US citizen. She was subsequently registered to vote by the City of Lynn and allegedly cast a ballot during the 2022 midterm elections.
Authorities further alleged that Okafor completed another voter registration form in October 2023 and again indicated that she was a US citizen.
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According to the US Attorney’s Office, she subsequently voted during the 2024 presidential primary election.
The federal charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of as much as $100,000.
Prosecutors also said Okafor could face deportation after serving any sentence imposed by the court.
The case was announced by US 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 handling the prosecution.
The case is also connected to the district’s Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, an initiative announced by Foley in March 2026 to address fraud cases being investigated across Massachusetts.
The US Department of Justice later announced the establishment of a National Fraud Enforcement Division in April 2026 to investigate and prosecute fraud-related offences against Americans.
However, federal prosecutors stressed that the accusations against Okafor remain allegations contained in the charging documents. She is presumed innocent unless and until she is found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.