Nigerian Woman Faces US Court Over Illegal Voting Allegations

A 56-year-old Nigerian woman living in Massachusetts has been arrested by United States authorities over allegations that she registered and voted in federal elections despite not being an American citizen.

The woman, identified as Gladys Adaeze Okafor, resides in Lynn, Massachusetts, and has been charged with unlawfully voting as an alien. She was arrested and is expected to appear before a federal court in Boston.

According to the charging documents, Okafor was born in Aba, Nigeria, and became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in December 2022. Prosecutors allege that she had not become a US citizen and had never applied for citizenship.

The allegations date back to July 2022, when prosecutors said Okafor submitted a voter registration form in Lynn. The form contained a declaration that she was a US citizen, which she allegedly signed under penalty of perjury.

Authorities said the city subsequently registered her as a voter and that she went on to cast a ballot during the 2022 midterm elections.

Prosecutors further alleged that Okafor submitted another voter registration form in October 2023 and again indicated that she was a US citizen.

That second registration allegedly enabled her to vote in the 2024 presidential primary election, despite her immigration status as a lawful permanent resident rather than a US citizen.

The federal charge carries a possible maximum sentence of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. She could also face immigration consequences depending on the outcome of the case.

The case is being handled by federal prosecutors in Massachusetts, with investigators from Homeland Security Investigations involved in the matter.

The allegations will now be tested through the US federal court process. Prosecutors must establish the case against Okafor in court, while she remains presumed innocent unless convicted.

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