A former senior United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer and an alleged accomplice have been charged with manipulating the U.S. immigration system and accepting approximately $960,000 in bribes to approve citizenship applications, according to authorities.
Prosecutors allege that Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, the former USCIS officer, and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, his financial associate, bypassed standard procedures by funneling applicants directly to Ganiyu. This allegedly allowed them to skip essential steps, including criminal background checks, for bribe-paying applicants.
Ganiyu is accused of rigging the USCIS system to gain control of applications, expediting them in exchange for payments. Court documents indicate that between December 2019 and March 2026, Ganiyu received roughly $671,438 through digital payment platforms like Zelle and Cash App, along with approximately $287,830 in cash. These funds were allegedly sourced from citizenship applicants seeking expedited processing.
Somoye, acting as a money manager, is reported to have handled a total transfer volume of about $1.7 million from applicants. He allegedly skimmed a portion of the bribe money as his payment and also deposited $449,010 in cash. These sums stand in stark contrast to their reported incomes, with Ganiyu earning an annual government salary of $67,732 and Somoye claiming only $7,506 in yearly wages.
Prosecutors stated that Ganiyu allegedly fast-tracked citizenship for Somoye and subsequently approved residency for Somoye's wife and child. Ganiyu allegedly manipulated the system to redirect application files from field offices in Minneapolis, Charlotte, and Houston, circumventing local supervisors to approve applications himself.
Investigators uncovered the alleged scheme through WhatsApp messages exchanged between Ganiyu, Somoye, and the applicants. The majority of the citizenship applications involved in the scheme reportedly came from individuals from African countries.
While the investigation was ongoing, Ganiyu resigned from USCIS in March 2026, citing personal reasons, shortly before federal authorities made their arrests. Both Ganiyu and Somoye are charged with conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities by a public official. They each face up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
"Selling immigration benefits for cash is a blatant abuse of public trust," said Ryan Raybould, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, in a statement. "When a federal official puts a price tag on lawful status, we will intervene immediately."
The investigation was conducted by the USCIS Office of Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the FBI's Dallas Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham of the Fraud section.