Massachusetts Resident Charged with Illegal Voting in Federal Elections
Nigerian woman accused of falsely claiming citizenship on voter registration forms.
A Nigerian woman residing in Massachusetts as a lawful permanent resident has been charged with unlawfully voting in at least two federal elections after allegedly falsifying her citizenship status on official documents. Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56, is accused by the Justice Department of casting ballots in the 2024 presidential primary and the 2022 midterm elections.
Federal prosecutors allege that Okafor repeatedly misrepresented her citizenship to gain access to the ballot. Court documents state that in July 2022, she submitted a voter registration card, certifying under penalty of perjury that she was a U.S. citizen. The City of Lynn subsequently registered her to vote. In October 2023, Okafor again submitted a voter registration card, this time checking a box indicating she was an American citizen. She then voted in the 2024 presidential primary, according to court filings.
Okafor, who was born in Nigeria, obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022. Prosecutors noted that she is not a U.S. citizen and has not applied for citizenship. She is scheduled to appear in a Boston federal courtroom.
If convicted, Okafor faces up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
This case follows recent actions by the Department of Justice concerning election integrity. Earlier this month, the DOJ charged five individuals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin for alleged illegal voting or fraudulent registration related to the 2022 or 2024 elections. Additionally, seven noncitizens were recently indicted in connection with an election integrity investigation in Texas.