A Nigerian woman living in Massachusetts as a lawful permanent resident has been charged by US federal authorities over allegations that she falsely claimed to be an American citizen and voted in federal elections.
Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, is accused of unlawfully voting as a noncitizen in the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential primary, according to prosecutors and court documents reported by Fox News and other outlets.
Authorities alleged that Okafor falsely declared herself a US citizen on voter registration documents submitted in Massachusetts. In July 2022, she allegedly signed a voter registration form in Lynn certifying under penalty of perjury that she was a US citizen. Prosecutors say she submitted another registration form in October 2023 and again indicated that she was an American citizen.
Okafor was born in Nigeria and became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in December 2022. Prosecutors say she is not a US citizen and has never applied for American citizenship.
She is expected to appear in federal court in Boston and faces a possible sentence of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.
The case comes amid a wider federal crackdown on alleged voting by noncitizens. Federal prosecutors have recently announced charges against several noncitizens in Texas, including Nigerian nationals, over alleged illegal voting or false claims of American citizenship.
A separate Massachusetts case involving a Chinese national accused of using another person’s identity to register and vote in the 2024 presidential election has also highlighted increased federal scrutiny of election related offences.
The allegations against Okafor remain unproven in court. She is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
