A former Senior Immigration Services Officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, and his alleged associate, Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, have been arrested in the United States over an alleged scheme to receive cash in exchange for manipulating and expediting immigration applications.
The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould, announced that the two men were arrested on September 2, following the filing of a federal criminal complaint against them on August 31.
The complaint charges Ganiyu and Somoye with conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities by a public official.
According to federal prosecutors, the alleged scheme operated from December 2019 to March 2026, during which Ganiyu allegedly used his official position to approve or expedite immigration applications in exchange for payments.
The applications allegedly involved several major immigration benefits, including Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative; Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status; Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence; and Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
Investigators allege that Ganiyu circumvented established USCIS procedures, including required interviews, supervisory reviews, jurisdictional restrictions, background checks and other processing protocols, to facilitate approvals for applicants who, in some cases, were allegedly not eligible for the benefits under federal law.
The complaint further alleges that Ganiyu and Somoye collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants, with several payments allegedly corresponding directly with immigration approvals issued by Ganiyu.
Federal investigators also uncovered extensive WhatsApp communications involving Ganiyu, Somoye and several applicants whose cases they allegedly handled. According to the complaint, investigators identified thousands of messages and hundreds of telephone calls during the period under investigation.
Commenting on the case, U.S. Attorney Raybould said the alleged conduct represented a serious abuse of public trust.
“Selling immigration benefits for cash is a blatant abuse of public trust,” Raybould said, adding that federal authorities would continue to intervene when public officials allegedly put a price on lawful immigration status.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said the alleged manipulation of immigration decisions for personal gain undermined the integrity of a process considered essential to national security.
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to holding accountable anyone who abuses their position of trust,” Rothrock said.
Ganiyu and Somoye made their initial court appearances on September 2 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the USCIS Office of Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the FBI Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham of the Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
The allegations are contained in a criminal complaint and have not been proven in court. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
