The United States Department of Justice has announced charges against 16 individuals over alleged illegal voting, unlawful voter registration and related election offences across the country, with three Nigerian nationals among those facing federal charges.

The cases, announced on Friday, September 18, 2026, involve allegations of non-citizens voting in federal elections, falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register or vote, and other offences uncovered during investigations.

According to the Justice Department, the cases span several federal districts, including Texas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Michigan.

Among those charged are Nigerian nationals Helen Sayen Adams, 67, Joshua Nmelichukwu Akpom, 27, and Gladys Adaeze Okafor, 56.

Adams, a lawful permanent resident since May 2024, was charged in the Northern District of Texas with allegedly voting as a non-citizen in a federal election and making a false statement of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote.

Prosecutors allege that Adams claimed U.S. citizenship on a Texas voter-registration application in June 2024 and subsequently voted in the November 2024 general election in Tarrant County.

Akpom, also a Nigerian national and lawful permanent resident, faces a charge involving alleged false statements connected to his naturalisation application.

The Justice Department said Akpom became a lawful permanent resident in 2016 and allegedly registered to vote in 2017 and voted in the 2018 general election despite not being a U.S. citizen. Prosecutors further allege that he later made false statements concerning his previous voting and citizenship claims during the naturalisation process.

Okafor, 56, a Nigerian national and lawful permanent resident residing in Massachusetts, was arrested and charged with allegedly voting unlawfully in the 2022 elections and allegedly voting again in the 2024 general election.

The Justice Department said the cases form part of a broader set of federal investigations into alleged violations of U.S. election laws.

In Texas, prosecutors announced charges against several non-citizens accused of voting in federal elections or making false citizenship declarations during voter registration. The defendants include nationals of Mexico, India, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In Georgia, three non-citizens from Antigua and Barbuda, Mexico and Venezuela were also charged over alleged illegal voting in federal elections. One of the defendants, the Justice Department said, is accused of voting nine times between 2008 and 2024.

Other defendants face allegations involving fraudulent naturalisation applications, passport fraud and other offences uncovered during the investigations.

The Justice Department said the charges reflect its enforcement of federal laws governing eligibility to vote in federal elections and voter registration.

However, the department stressed that criminal complaints, indictments and other charging documents contain allegations only. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

The announcement comes as U.S. authorities continue investigations into election-related offences and voter eligibility ahead of the country's 2026 elections.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, September 18, 2026.