Nigerian national in Lynn, Mass. charged with illegal voting in 2022 and 2024 elections

Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, a Nigerian permanent resident in Lynn, Massachusetts, has been arrested for allegedly voting unlawfully in two federal elections.

Nigerian resident of Lynn arrested for casting ballots as a non-citizen

A Nigerian national living in Lynn, Massachusetts has been arrested and charged with illegally casting votes in two federal elections, the Department of Justice announced. Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, faces a federal charge of unlawfully voting as an alien, according to justice.gov.

Okafor is a citizen of Nigeria, born in Aba, and obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022. She has not applied for U.S. citizenship and is not a U.S. citizen.

According to charging documents, Okafor submitted a voter registration card in July 2022, signing a certification that read: "I AM A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES … Signed under penalty of perjury." The City of Lynn registered her to vote on that basis, and she allegedly cast a ballot in the November 2022 midterm elections.

Prosecutors further allege that Okafor submitted a second voter registration form in October 2023, again checking the "U.S. Citizen" box and signing the corresponding certification. She is alleged to have voted in the 2024 presidential primary election as well.

Okafor appeared in federal court in Boston on the day of her arrest. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000. Upon completion of any sentence, she may also be subject to deportation. Sentencing, if convicted, would be determined by a federal district court judge under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, announced the arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.

Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team on 26 March 2026, a district-wide initiative established in response to fraud cases being uncovered across Massachusetts. The public can report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).

On 7 April 2026, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which investigates and prosecutes fraud against the American public. The division's work supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance.

The details in the charging document are allegations. Okafor is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)