Nigerian woman arrested in US over alleged illegal voting in 2022, 2024 elections

A 56-year-old Nigerian woman and lawful permanent resident has been arrested in Massachusetts and charged by US authorities for allegedly voting illegally in federal elections after falsely claiming to be an American citizen. Bill Melugin, a Fox News congressional correspondent, disclosed the development in a Facebook post on Wednesday, saying Homeland Security Investigations arrested the woman, identified as Gladys Adaeze Okafor, in Lynn, Massachusetts.

The US Department of Justice charged Okafor with unlawfully voting as an alien. Sahara Reporters, citing Melugin, said Okafor holds a green card but has not applied for US citizenship, making her ineligible to vote in federal elections. The DOJ alleges she registered to vote in Lynn in July 2022, falsely attesting to be a US citizen, and subsequently voted in that year’s midterms. She reportedly submitted a second registration in 2023, again falsely claiming citizenship, before voting in the 2024 presidential election.

Melugin said Okafor allegedly admitted to voting in 2024 during a recorded interview with an HSI agent last week. The case is being prosecuted by US Attorney Leah Foley as part of a joint DOJ-DHS crackdown on unlawful voting.

The arrest comes amid a wider federal enforcement push against non-citizens accused of illegal voting, including a September 2026 case in which five people were charged across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Wisconsin. Okafor is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Wednesday. Prosecutors say defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty.