Nigerian woman arrested in US over illegal voting

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A 56-year-old Nigerian woman residing in Lynn, Massachusetts, United States, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, has been arrested and charged with allegedly voting illegally in the 2022 midterm elections.

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The woman was also accused of voting in the 2024 presidential primary election despite not being a United States citizen.

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The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.

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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.”

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The statement identified the defendant as Okafor and said she was charged with unlawfully voting as an alien. It added that she was arrested on Wednesday morning and was expected to appear in federal court in Boston later that day.

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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.”

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According to the charging documents, Okafor is a Nigerian citizen who was born in Aba, Nigeria. The documents stated that she obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but was not a US citizen and had not applied for US citizenship.

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The US Attorney’s Office said the alleged voting offences began before Okafor obtained her permanent resident status.

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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.”

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The authorities further alleged that Okafor registered to vote again in 2023 and declared herself a US citizen on the registration form.

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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.”

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The charge of unlawful 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.

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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.”

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It added that any sentence would be determined by a federal district court judge based on the US Sentencing Guidelines and the statutes governing sentencing in federal criminal cases.

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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.

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Assistant US Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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The statement also linked the case to the district’s recently established Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, which was announced by Foley in March 2026.

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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.”

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The US Department of Justice subsequently announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division in April 2026 to investigate and prosecute fraud against Americans.

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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.”

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The office, however, stressed that the allegations contained in the charging document had not been established in court.

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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.”

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