A 56-year-old Nigerian woman residing in Lynn, Massachusetts, has been arrested and charged by United States authorities for allegedly voting unlawfully in the country despite not being a U.S. citizen.


The woman, identified as Gladys Adaeze Okafor, was arrested on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, following an investigation by U.S. federal authorities.


According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Okafor was born in Aba, Nigeria, and became a lawful permanent resident of the United States in December 2022. Prosecutors said she is not a U.S. citizen and has never applied for U.S. citizenship.


Federal prosecutors allege that Okafor submitted a voter registration application in Lynn in July 2022 and certified that she was a U.S. citizen. She was subsequently registered to vote and allegedly cast a ballot during the 2022 U.S. midterm elections.


Prosecutors further alleged that she submitted another voter registration form in October 2023, again indicating that she was a U.S. citizen. She is accused of subsequently voting in the 2024 presidential primary election.


The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England.


Okafor faces a federal charge of unlawfully voting as an alien. If convicted, the offence carries a possible sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. Authorities also said she could face deportation following any sentence imposed.


The U.S. Department of Justice stressed that the allegations contained in the charging documents are accusations and have not been proven in court.


Okafor is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


The case highlights the legal restrictions placed on non-U.S. citizens participating in federal elections and the criminal consequences that may follow allegations of false citizenship claims during voter registration.