A 56-year-old Nigerian woman living in Lynn, Massachusetts, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, has been arrested and charged with allegedly voting illegally in the 2022 midterm elections.
She is also accused of participating in the 2024 presidential primary election despite not being a U.S. citizen.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced the arrest in a statement released on Wednesday.
According to the statement, Okafor was charged with unlawfully voting as an alien and was expected to appear in federal court in Boston the same day.
Charging documents state that Okafor, who was born in Aba, Nigeria, obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but never became a U.S. citizen nor applied for citizenship. Authorities allege that Okafor first submitted a voter registration card in July 2022, signing under penalty of perjury that she was a U.S. citizen. She was subsequently registered to vote by the City of Lynn and allegedly cast a ballot in the 2022 midterm elections. Okafor is further accused of submitting a second voter registration form in October 2023, again claiming U.S. citizenship, and then voting in the 2024 presidential primary.
The charge of unlawful voting as an alien carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000. Okafor may also face deportation if convicted. Any sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge in accordance with U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and federal statutes.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit. It is connected to the district’s newly formed Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, launched in March 2026 in response to increasing reports of fraud across Massachusetts. The Department of Justice also established a National Fraud Enforcement Division in April 2026 to address fraud nationwide.
Authorities emphasized that the allegations against Okafor are not evidence of guilt, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
