A 56-year-old Nigerian woman, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, has been arrested and charged in the United States for allegedly voting in federal elections despite not being a US citizen.
Okafor, who resides in Lynn, Massachusetts, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with unlawfully voting as an alien, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. She was expected to appear before a federal court in Boston following her arrest.
According to the charging documents, Okafor was born in Aba, Nigeria, and obtained lawful permanent resident status in the United States in December 2022. Prosecutors said she is not a US citizen and has not applied for American citizenship.
Federal authorities allege that Okafor registered to vote before obtaining her permanent resident status and falsely certified that she was a US citizen.
Prosecutors said that in July 2022, she submitted a voter registration card in which she allegedly certified under penalty of perjury that she was a US citizen. The City of Lynn subsequently registered her as a voter, and authorities allege that she cast a ballot in the 2022 midterm elections.
The US authorities further alleged that Okafor submitted another voter registration form in October 2023, again indicating that she was an American citizen.
She was subsequently accused of voting in the 2024 presidential primary election, despite still not being a US citizen.
The allegations form the basis of the federal charge against her. The case is being handled by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, with Assistant US Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuting the matter.
The case comes amid increased federal investigations in the United States into allegations involving non-citizens registering to vote or participating in elections.
US authorities have recently announced other cases involving non-citizens accused of voting or making false citizenship declarations in connection with elections. In Texas, for instance, federal and state authorities announced charges against several non-citizens following investigations into alleged voting and voter-registration offences.
Under US federal law, non-citizens are generally prohibited from voting in federal elections. Authorities have increasingly used voter-registration records and other government databases to investigate cases where individuals are suspected of falsely claiming US citizenship.
In Okafor’s case, prosecutors allege that the false declarations on her voter registration documents enabled her to gain access to the ballot despite her non-citizen status.
The case could carry serious legal consequences if she is convicted. Reports citing the federal charge state that unlawful voting by an alien can attract imprisonment and financial penalties, although the eventual sentence, if there is a conviction, would be determined by the court under applicable federal law.
The allegations against Okafor remain matters for the court to determine. An arrest or criminal charge does not constitute a finding of guilt, and the prosecution is required to establish its case in court.
The development has attracted attention in Nigeria because of Okafor’s nationality and the circumstances surrounding the allegations. However, US authorities have presented the case primarily as an alleged violation of federal election and citizenship laws.
As the legal proceedings continue, the federal court is expected to consider the allegations and evidence presented by prosecutors, while Okafor will have the opportunity to respond to the charges against her through the judicial process.