British-Nigerian Woman Faces Prison Over Unlawful U.S. Votes

​HOUSTON, TEXAS — A 63-year-old British citizen of Nigerian descent, Ada Ngozi Otuka, is facing up to six years behind bars after entering a guilty plea in a federal court for casting unlawful ballots in multiple United States elections and falsely claiming American citizenship.

​According to a press statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) from the Southern District of Texas, Otuka—who resided in the Houston suburb of Katy—admitted culpability for illegal voting by a foreign national and making false statements regarding citizenship.

​A Decade of Unauthorized Ballots

​Investigators revealed that while Otuka is a lawful permanent resident permitted to live in the United States, she is legally barred from participating in American elections. Despite this restriction, voting records indicate that Otuka systematically cast ballots across a decade, participating in the federal and local elections of 2012, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2024.

​Federal prosecutors established that Otuka explicitly checked boxes or made declarations claiming to be a U.S. citizen when completing her Texas voter registration forms and statements of residence.

​The Unraveling

​The discrepancy came to light after immigration and election authorities received tips concerning her lack of American citizenship. In 2015 [Note: referencing 2025 investigative notices], Otuka was formally notified that her voter registration status was under administrative review. Records show she ignored the inquiry and failed to respond.

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​The legal jeopardy intensified later that year when Otuka submitted an application for U.S. naturalization. In her application paperwork, she transparently admitted to having voted unlawfully in past elections—a disclosure that triggered immediate federal scrutiny.

​Pending Sentencing and Legal Penalties

​U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has scheduled Otuka’s formal sentencing hearing for November 5.

​Under federal guidelines, she faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for falsely claiming U.S. citizenship, alongside an additional year for the illegal voting conviction. Furthermore, she could be subjected to financial penalties totaling up to $250,000.

​The high-profile investigation was a collaborative multi-agency effort involving the FBI’s Houston field office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, and the Texas Attorney General’s Office, with vital support from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher is leading the prosecution.

​The case mirrors a separate federal action brought earlier this year against 50-year-old British national Samuel James Hall, who similarly entered a guilty plea for casting an unlawful ballot in the 2024 Houston-area elections.