By Persecondnews
Two men bearing distinctly Nigerian names have been arrested in the United States over an alleged corruption scheme in which a former immigration official is accused of taking money to influence applications for green cards and U.S. citizenship.
The suspects, Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former Senior Immigration Services Officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, were arrested by federal agents on September 2.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the arrests after a criminal complaint was filed on August 31, accusing the pair of conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities by a public official.
Persecondnews gathered that the alleged scheme operated for more than six years, between December 2019 and March 2026, with prosecutors accusing Ganiyu of using his position inside USCIS to influence immigration applications in exchange for money.
The allegations point to an alleged inside operation within an agency whose decisions can determine whether an immigrant receives permanent residency or eventually becomes a U.S. citizen.
How the Alleged Scheme Operated
According to prosecutors, Ganiyu allegedly manipulated or expedited several categories of immigration applications.
They included Form I-130, through which eligible U.S. citizens and permanent residents petition for certain relatives; Form I-485, used to apply for permanent residence or adjustment of status; Form I-751, concerning the removal of conditions on certain permanent residence; and Form N-400, the application for U.S. citizenship.
Investigators allege that Ganiyu went beyond simply speeding up applications.
He allegedly bypassed mandatory interviews, supervisory reviews, jurisdictional restrictions, background checks and other normal USCIS procedures.
Some of the applicants who allegedly benefited from the arrangement were, according to prosecutors, not legally eligible for the immigration benefits they received.
That means the alleged operation potentially allowed applicants to obtain decisions that they could not have secured through the normal immigration process.
Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars Allegedly Collected
Prosecutors say Ganiyu and Somoye collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from immigration applicants.
Investigators allegedly identified payments that corresponded with approvals issued by Ganiyu.
The alleged connection between payments and immigration decisions could form a central part of the US federal government’s case as prosecutors seek to establish that the money was not simply exchanged between the parties but was connected to official actions.
Persecondnews gathered that investigators also examined extensive communications between the defendants and applicants whose cases they allegedly handled.
Authorities reportedly recovered thousands of WhatsApp messages and hundreds of telephone calls.
The communications could provide investigators with a detailed trail of contacts, payments and immigration cases allegedly handled by the former USCIS officer.
Immigration Authority Allegedly Turned into Private Business
At the heart of the case is the allegation that Ganiyu used an official position entrusted with enforcing U.S. immigration law for personal financial gain.
USCIS handles applications affecting family reunification, permanent residence and citizenship. Decisions made by its officers can therefore fundamentally change an applicant’s legal status and future in the United States.
Prosecutors allege that Ganiyu exploited that authority by providing favourable treatment to applicants who allegedly paid for it.
The allegations also raise questions about the internal safeguards intended to prevent individual officers from circumventing established immigration procedures.
US Authorities Condemn Alleged Corruption
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould described the alleged conduct as an abuse of public trust.
«“Selling immigration benefits for cash is a blatant abuse of public trust,” Raybould said.»
He warned that federal authorities would intervene where a public official allegedly puts a price on lawful immigration status.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock also warned that manipulating immigration decisions for personal profit undermines a process considered important to U.S. national security.
Questions the Case Leaves Behind
The arrests have brought the alleged scheme into public view, but several questions remain.
How many immigration applications were allegedly manipulated?
How many applicants paid the defendants?
How much money changed hands in total?
Were other people inside or outside USCIS involved?
And what happens to immigration benefits allegedly obtained through applications that were improperly approved?
The answers could determine whether the case remains a prosecution of two individuals or develops into a wider investigation.
For now, the federal allegations centre on Ganiyu and Somoye who made their initial court appearances on September 2.
Each faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 if convicted.
They remain presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The case is now before the U.S. federal courts, where prosecutors will have to establish their allegations and demonstrate the extent of the alleged cash-for-immigration operation.
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