{
  "id": 17937635,
  "title": "US charges two Nigerians, others over illegal voting",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/us-charges-two-nigerians-others-over-illegal-voting",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-03T09:04:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/us-charges-two-nigerians-others-over-illegal-voting/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United States Department of Justice has announced charges against two Nigerians and 61 other foreign nationals for alleged illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration, and false claims of U.S. citizenship in connection with federal elections. The charges involve 63 individuals across the country, with the two Nigerians being Mohammad Omar Hassan, 61, and Michael Agah, 74, both lawful permanent residents.\n\nHassan, charged in the Southern District of Texas, is alleged to have voted in the 2022 and 2024 elections while not being a U.S. citizen. Agah, charged in the Western District of North Carolina, is accused of voting by an alien and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on an authorization to vote form. He allegedly voted in the 2024 federal election.\n\nThe latest charges represent the largest surge in voter-fraud arrests since President Donald Trump returned to office, according to Attorney General Todd Blanche. Since the beginning of the administration, the Department of Justice has charged 195 non-U.S. citizens across 25 states with illegal voting and registration offenses, bringing the total to 239.\n\nThis follows a September 19, 2026 announcement of charges against three other Nigerians and 13 foreign nationals for similar alleged election-related offenses. The cases involve allegations of illegal voting, unlawful voter registration, false claims of citizenship, and other election-related offenses.",
  "summary": "The US Department of Justice has charged two Nigerians, Mohammed Hassan and Michael Agah, and dozens of others with illegal voting in federal elections. Read More: https://punchng.com/us-charges-two-nigerians-others-over-illegal-voting/",
  "key_points": [
    "Two Nigerians, Mohammad Omar Hassan and Michael Agah, charged with illegal voting.",
    "Charges involve 63 individuals across the country in 2022 and 2024 elections.",
    "DOJ's largest surge in voter-fraud arrests since Trump's return to office."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The sudden surge in federal prosecutions against foreign nationals signals a heightened enforcement priority for the Department of Justice regarding non-citizen participation in American elections.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "2027 Election: Keyamo accuses Atiku, Peter Obi, others of sending Nigerians to die",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/2027-election-keyamo-accuses-atiku-peter-obi-others-of-sending",
        "published": "2026-11-03T08:15:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}