Two Nigerians have been named among 63 individuals charged by the United States Department of Justice in a sweeping crackdown on alleged election-related crimes, including illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration and falsely claiming American citizenship. The announcement, made on November 2, 2026, identified Nigerian nationals Mohammed Omar Hassan, 61, and Michael Agah, 74, among those facing federal charges.
According to the Justice Department, Hassan, a lawful permanent resident, was charged in the Southern District of Texas with voting unlawfully as a non-US citizen. Prosecutors allege that the 61-year-old Nigerian voted in two federal election cycles, 2022 and 2024, despite not being a United States citizen.
The second Nigerian, Agah, 74, was charged in the Western District of North Carolina with voting by an alien and falsely claiming US citizenship to participate in an election. Prosecutors allege that Agah falsely identified himself as an American citizen on an Authorization to Vote Form before casting his ballot in the November 5, 2024 federal election.
The charges against the two Nigerians form part of a nationwide enforcement operation involving defendants from several countries. The cases span multiple US states and include allegations of illegal voting, fraudulent registration, false declarations of citizenship and dishonest statements made during immigration and naturalisation proceedings.
Announcing the charges, the Justice Department said 63 individuals had been charged in connection with election-related offences. The department also disclosed that it had charged 195 foreign nationals across 25 states with illegal voting and registration offences in the preceding nine weeks alone.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche described the latest announcement as the largest surge of voter-fraud arrests since President Donald Trump returned to office. He alleged that foreign nationals had exploited public trust and violated laws governing American elections, adding that the department would continue pursuing prosecutions to restore confidence in the electoral system.
Beyond the two Nigerians, the defendants include nationals of Mexico, Bangladesh, Guatemala, Kenya, Jamaica, Canada, India, Afghanistan, the Philippines, France, Italy and several other countries. Some are accused of voting in the 2024 presidential election, while others allegedly participated in previous general and primary elections despite lacking US citizenship.
Several cases also involve allegations that defendants falsely declared themselves American citizens on voter registration documents before casting ballots. Others are accused of concealing previous voting activities when applying for US citizenship, with prosecutors alleging that some made false statements under oath during immigration interviews and naturalisation proceedings.
The Justice Department said the cases were being prosecuted across federal judicial districts, including Texas, North Carolina, California, New Jersey, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Nevada. It maintained that the investigations were part of broader efforts to enforce federal election laws and hold individuals accountable for allegedly unlawful participation in American elections.
However, the department emphasised that the charges remain allegations and do not constitute proof of guilt. All the defendants, including Hassan and Agah, are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
