By Sunday Ameh
A 56-year-old Nigerian woman, Gladys Adaeze Okafor, has been arrested in the United States for allegedly falsely claiming American citizenship to register and vote in elections.
Okafor, a resident of Lynn, Massachusetts, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with unlawfully voting as an alien, according to the US Department of Justice.
Prosecutors alleged that Okafor, who was born in Aba, Abia State, became a lawful permanent resident of the US in December 2022 but was not an American citizen.
Court documents said she registered to vote in July 2022 and signed a declaration stating that she was a US citizen.
She allegedly voted in the 2022 midterm elections and submitted another voter registration form in October 2023, again identifying herself as a US citizen.
She was subsequently accused of voting in the 2024 presidential primary election.
Okafor is expected to appear before a federal court in Boston. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine.
She could also face deportation if convicted and after serving any sentence imposed by the court.
Assistant US Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
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