A 56-year-old Massachusetts resident living in the United States as a permanent resident faces federal charges after allegedly voting illegally in multiple elections.
Authorities identified the woman as Gladys Adaeze Okafor, a Nigerian national residing in the state who allegedly falsified her citizenship status on forms to vote.
The Justice Department charged Okafor with unlawfully voting as an alien after she allegedly cast ballots in the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential primary.
Federal prosecutors allege Okafor repeatedly misrepresented her citizenship status on voter registration cards under penalty of perjury.
In July 2022, she submitted a voter registration card and signed her name certifying that she was a United States citizen.
Following that certified submission, the City of Lynn registered her to vote in municipal and federal contests.
In October 2023, Okafor submitted another registration card checking a box stating she was an American citizen.
Court records state that after submitting the second registration form, she cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential primary election.
Describing her legal standing, federal prosecutors noted she was “born in Nigeria and obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022” but “is not a US citizen and has not applied for US citizenship,” according to Fox News.
If convicted, Okafor faces up to one year in prison alongside criminal fines reaching up to $10,000.
She is scheduled to make an initial court appearance in a Boston federal court on Wednesday.
Her prosecution comes amid a broader nationwide increase in federal election integrity investigations and voter fraud enforcement actions.
Recently, an election integrity investigation in Texas resulted in indictments returned against seven noncitizens for alleged voting offenses.
Additionally, earlier this month federal prosecutors charged five individuals across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin for illegal voting or fraudulent voter registration during recent election cycles.