--- title: "Nigerian National Charged With Illegal Voting in US Elections" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/nigerian-national-charged-with-illegal-voting-in-us-elections" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/nigerian-national-charged-with-illegal-voting-in-us-elections" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/nigerian-national-charged-with-illegal-voting-in-us-elections.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/nigerian-national-charged-with-illegal-voting-in-us-elections" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-17T10:05:14.033Z" source_reported: "2026-09-17T09:50:13.000Z" updated: "2026-09-17T10:05:14.033Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 65 hype_score: 45 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-17T19:41:16.000Z" --- # Nigerian National Charged With Illegal Voting in US Elections *Gladys Adaeze Okafor faces federal charges for allegedly voting in 2022 and 2024 elections while not a US citizen.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to US Attorney's Office and Homeland Security Investigations, with two full reports. - Craft 65 of 100, higher is better. Reporting is clear and holds together, with specific details provided by full reports. - Hype 45 of 100, lower is better. Headlines and presentation are generally factual, with some mild sensationalism in a few outlets. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Gladys Adaeze Okafor, a 56-year-old Nigerian national residing in Massachusetts, has been arrested and charged with unlawfully voting as an alien. - Okafor allegedly voted in the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential primary election. - She is accused of submitting voter registration forms in July 2022 and October 2023, declaring herself a US citizen on both occasions. - The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $100,000 fine. Gladys Adaeze Okafor, a 56-year-old Nigerian national living in Lynn, Massachusetts, has been arrested and charged with unlawfully voting as an alien in US federal elections. Authorities allege Okafor voted in both the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential primary election. She is accused of submitting voter registration forms in July 2022 and again in October 2023, falsely declaring herself a US citizen on both occasions. Okafor obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but is not a US citizen. ## Disagreement on timing of alleged offences The US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts stated that the alleged voting offences began before Okafor obtained her permanent resident status. Punch Newspapers reported this statement. However, Daily Post Nigeria stated that prosecutors alleged she registered to vote in July 2022 and voted in the 2022 midterm elections, and then submitted another registration form in October 2023, voting again in the 2024 presidential primary. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mention the specific dates of the alleged voting offences or the details about the US Attorney’s Office establishing a Benefit & Voter Fraud Team and the Department of Justice creating a National Fraud Enforcement Division, as reported by Punch Newspapers. ## Who covered it Shares of the 11 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 9% (1) - Centre: 27% (3) - Right: 64% (7) 17 of 28 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-17T19:41:16.000Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 46 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-17T22:45:20.846Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated report from Punch Newspapers led with the arrest and charges against Gladys Adaeze Okafor for allegedly voting illegally in the 2022 midterm elections. It detailed that she was also accused of voting in the 2024 presidential primary election despite not being a US citizen. The report included statements from the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, noting that Okafor obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022 but was not a US citizen and had not applied for citizenship. It also mentioned that the alleged voting offences began before she obtained permanent resident status. The report quoted the maximum sentence for the charge and noted that any sentence would be determined by a federal district court judge. It also highlighted the recent establishment of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team by US Attorney Leah B. Foley and the national Fraud Enforcement Division by the Department of Justice. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports from Daily Post Nigeria and Internewscast focused on the arrest of Gladys Adaeze Okafor and the charges of unlawfully voting as an alien. Daily Post Nigeria reported that Okafor allegedly claimed to be an American citizen before voting. Both reports stated she is a Nigerian national and lawful permanent resident who lives in Lynn, Massachusetts. They mentioned she allegedly voted in the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential primary election after registering to vote and declaring herself a US citizen. The maximum sentence for the charge was also noted in both digests. ### Right - The right-rated reports from the New York Post, Boston Herald, news-pravda.com, and Fox News highlighted that a Nigerian woman, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, was charged with illegal voting in US federal elections. The New York Post and Fox News specified she was a permanent resident in Massachusetts. The Boston Herald reported a non-citizen was charged for voting in Lynn. The news-pravda.com report used the headline "HOLY CRAP! HSI just arrested ANOTHER Nigerian national for illegally voting in the US in a blue state," and mentioned she "simply 'attested' to being a citizen SO THEY LET HER VOTE." Fox News and the New York Post noted she allegedly falsified her citizenship. All four reports mentioned she voted in the 2022 midterm and 2024 presidential primary elections. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 2 - mixed: 7 - high: 2 - unknown: 17 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Daily Hodl](https://dailyhodl.com/2026/09/17/nigerian-national-arrested-in-massachusetts-accused-of-illegal-voting-in-2022-midterms) — Nigerian National Arrested in Massachusetts, Accused of Illegal Voting in 2022 Midterms - [Cryptocurrency News | Cryptocurrency Prices | Market Cap](https://cryptocurrency.com.tr/nigerian-national-arrested-in-massachusetts-accused-of-illegal-voting-in-2022-midterms-381573) — Nigerian National Arrested in Massachusetts, Accused of Illegal Voting in 2022 Midterms - [Njenje Media News](https://njenjemedia.com/nigerian-woman-in-us-charged-over-alleged-illegal-voting-in-federal-elections) — Nigerian Woman in US Charged Over Alleged Illegal Voting in Federal Elections - [mediatalkafrica.com](https://mediatalkafrica.com/302094/nigerian-woman-charged-with-unlawful-voting-faces-deportation) — Nigerian Woman Charged With Unlawful Voting Faces Deportation - [Blackbox Nigeria](https://blackboxnigeria.com/nigerian-woman-arrested-in-us-over-alleged-illegal-voting) — Nigerian woman arrested in US over alleged illegal voting - [Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion](https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/09/nigerian-national-accused-of-voting-in-federal-elections) — Nigerian National Accused of Voting in Federal Elections - [NewsTimes.com.ng](https://newstimes.com.ng/2026/09/nigerian-woman-arrested-in-us-over-illegal-voting) — Nigerian Woman Arrested In US Over Illegal Voting - NewsTmes.com.ng - [New York Post](https://nypost.com/2026/09/17/us-news/nigerian-woman-gladys-adaeze-okafor-charged-with-voting-as-noncitizen) — Nigerian woman in Massachusetts charged after alleged illegal voting in federal elections - [The Zambian Observer](https://zambianobserver.com/nigerian-woman-arrested-in-us-for-illegally-voting-in-2022-and-2024-elections) — Nigerian woman arrested in US for illegally voting in 2022 and 2024 elections - [Legit.ng - Nigeria news.](https://legit.ng/world/1731309-nigerian-woman-arrested-voting-illegally-evidence-mentioned) — Nigerian woman in US arrested for voting illegally, document and name mentioned - [InsideBusiness - Business News in Nigeria](https://insidebusiness.ng/248037/nigerian-woman-charged-over-alleged-illegal-us-voting) — Nigerian Woman Charged Over Alleged Illegal US Voting - [newscentraltv.com](https://newscentraltv.com/nigerian-arrested-over-illegal-voting-in-us) — Nigerian Arrested Over Illegal Voting in US - [Naija News - Nigeria News](https://naijanews.com/2026/09/17/us-nigerian-woman-illegal-voting) — US Arrests Nigerian Woman Over Alleged Illegal Voting - [Just the News](https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/nigerian-noncitizen-charged-illegal-voting-2022-midterm-and-2024) — Nigerian noncitizen charged with illegal voting in 2022 midterm and 2024 presidential primary - [Punch Newspapers](https://punchng.com/nigerian-woman-arrested-in-us-over-illegal-voting) — Nigerian woman arrested in US over illegal voting - [Daily Post Nigeria](https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/17/nigerian-woman-arrested-in-us-over-alleged-false-citizenship-claim) — Nigerian woman arrested in US over alleged false citizenship claim - [247ureports.com](https://247ureports.com/2026/09/nigerian-national-charged-with-unlawfully-voting-in-2022-midterm-and-2024-primary-elections-in-massachusetts) — Nigerian National Charged With Unlawfully Voting in 2022 Midterm and 2024 Primary Elections in Massachusetts - [newsypeople.com](https://newsypeople.com/news/nigerian-woman-arrested-in-us-for-illegally-voting-in-2022-and-2024-elections) — Nigerian woman arrested in US for illegally voting in 2022 and 2024 elections - Newsy People - [Boston Herald](https://bostonherald.com/2026/09/16/police-blotter-non-citizen-charged-for-voting-in-lynn) — Police Blotter: Non-citizen charged for voting in Lynn - [Fall River Reporter](https://fallriverreporter.com/nigerian-national-residing-in-massachusetts-accused-of-voting-in-2-elections) — Nigerian national residing in Massachusetts accused of voting in 2 elections - [Portal Mix Vale](https://mixvale.com.br/2026/09/16/permanent-resident-facing-federal-charges-in-massachusetts-for-allegedly-voting-illegally-in-two-elections) — Permanent Resident Facing Federal Charges in Massachusetts for Allegedly Voting Illegally in Two Elections - [Politics, Policy, Political News](https://politicom.com.au/homeland-security-investigations-arrests-nigerian-non-citizen-for-voting-in-2024-presidential-election-and-2022-midterms) — Homeland Security Investigations Arrests Nigerian Non-Citizen for Voting in 2024 Presidential Election and 2022 Midterms - Politics, Policy, Political Views - [Internewscast](https://internewscast.com/news/us/nigerian-woman-charged-in-massachusetts-federal-voting-case) — Nigerian Woman Charged in Massachusetts Federal Voting Case - [The Gateway Pundit](https://thegatewaypundit.com/2026/09/homeland-security-investigations-arrests-nigerian-non-citizen-voting) — Homeland Security Investigations Arrests Nigerian Non-Citizen for Voting in 2024 Presidential Election and 2022 Midterms * The Gateway Pundit * by Jim Hᴏft - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/usa/2026/09/16/2597219.html) — HOLY CRAP! HSI just arrested ANOTHER Nigerian national for illegally voting in the US in a blue state - [NewsFinale](https://newsfinale.com/us/nigerian-woman-in-massachusetts-charged-with-illegal-voting-in-federal-elections) — Nigerian Woman in Massachusetts Charged With Illegal Voting in Federal Elections - [Fox News](https://foxnews.com/us/nigerian-woman-massachusetts-charged-alleged-illegal-voting-federal-elections) — Nigerian woman in Massachusetts charged after alleged illegal voting in federal elections - [Sahara Reporters](https://saharareporters.com/2026/09/16/breaking-nigerian-woman-arrested-us-illegally-voting-2022-2024-elections) — BREAKING: Nigerian Woman Arrested In US For ‘Illegally Voting In 2022, 2024 Elections’ ## Questions **What is Gladys Adaeze Okafor accused of?** Gladys Adaeze Okafor, a 56-year-old Nigerian national, is accused of unlawfully voting in US elections as an alien. She allegedly voted in the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential primary election after falsely declaring herself a US citizen on voter registration forms. **What is the potential penalty for illegal voting?** The charge of unlawful voting as an alien carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000. The defendant may also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence. **When did Okafor obtain lawful permanent resident status?** Gladys Adaeze Okafor obtained lawful permanent resident status in December 2022. However, she is not a US citizen and had not applied for citizenship at the time of the alleged offences. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/nigerian-national-charged-with-illegal-voting-in-us-elections. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Nigerian National Charged With Illegal Voting in US Elections", https://mediabias.news/politics/nigerian-national-charged-with-illegal-voting-in-us-elections