A 56-year-old Nigerian woman residing in Lynn, Massachusetts, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, has been arrested and charged in the United States for allegedly voting illegally in the 2022 midterm elections.
Okafor, who is reportedly not a United States citizen, is also accused of voting in the 2024 presidential primary election after allegedly declaring herself a U.S. citizen on voter registration documents.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced the charges in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to the authorities, Okafor was charged with unlawfully voting as an alien. She was arrested on Wednesday morning and was expected to appear before a federal court in Boston.
Charging documents reportedly state that Okafor is a Nigerian citizen who was born in Aba, Nigeria. She obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but had not become a U.S. citizen or applied for U.S. citizenship.
Prosecutors allege that her first voting-related offence occurred before she obtained permanent resident status.
In July 2022, Okafor allegedly submitted a voter registration card and signed a certification stating that she was a U.S. citizen. Authorities said the City of Lynn subsequently registered her to vote, after which she allegedly participated in the 2022 midterm elections.
The authorities further alleged that Okafor submitted another voter registration form in October 2023, again indicating that she was a U.S. citizen. She allegedly went on to vote in the 2024 presidential primary election.
If convicted, 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 completing any sentence imposed.
The case was announced
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution comes amid increased attention to voter and benefit fraud in Massachusetts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the case is connected to its recently established Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, announced in March 2026.
The office also noted the creation of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division in April 2026 to investigate and prosecute fraud-related offences.
However, federal authorities stressed that the allegations against Okafor have not been proven in court.
She remains presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
