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 is also accused of voting in the 2024 presidential primary election despite not being a United States citizen.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced the arrest and charges in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The statement 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.”
The defendant was identified as Okafor, who was charged with unlawfully voting as an alien. Authorities said she was arrested on Wednesday morning and was expected to appear before a federal court in Boston later the same day.
It said, “Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, is charged with unlawfully voting as an alien. The defendant was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston later today.”
According to the charging documents, Okafor is a Nigerian citizen who was born in Aba, Nigeria. She obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but was not a US citizen and had not applied for citizenship.
The US Attorney’s Office said the alleged voting offences occurred before she obtained her permanent resident status.
It 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 registered to vote again in 2023 and declared herself a US citizen on the registration form.
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 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.
The statement said, “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.”
It added that any sentence would ultimately be determined by a federal district court judge, taking into account 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 US Attorney’s Office also linked the case to its recently established Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, which Foley announced in March 2026.
It 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 US Department of Justice later announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division in April 2026 to investigate and prosecute fraud involving 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 stressed that the allegations contained in the charging documents had 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.”