A former senior U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services official and his alleged accomplice face federal charges for accepting nearly $960,000 in bribes to manipulate citizenship applications, bypass background checks, and fast-track immigration benefits over a six-year period.
The Alleged Scheme
Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, the former USCIS official, and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, his financial accomplice, were arrested Wednesday on conspiracy charges for receiving illegal gratuities. Prosecutors say the pair operated from December 2019 through March 2026, accepting payments through Zelle, Cash App, and cash deposits to expedite immigration applications while circumventing standard procedures including criminal background checks and mandatory interviews.
Senior immigration official and alleged moneyman caught accepting $960K in bribes for citizenship favors: prosecutors https://t.co/5qQNKiVZiX pic.twitter.com/J19K6FCatR
— New York Post (@nypost) September 6, 2026
Federal investigators uncovered extensive WhatsApp communications between the defendants and numerous applicants, including thousands of messages and hundreds of phone calls. Court documents reveal Ganiyu received approximately $671,438 through electronic payments and $287,830 in cash deposits designed to hide the money’s origins. Somoye allegedly processed roughly $1.7 million in transfers while keeping portions of the payments for himself, including $449,010 in cash deposits.
Manipulation of Federal Systems
The charging documents allege Ganiyu exploited his position to alter USCIS systems and reroute applications from field offices in Minneapolis, Charlotte, and Houston. By redirecting cases away from local supervisors, he gained direct approval authority over applications that paid bribes. Most affected applications involved citizenship seekers from African nations. Ganiyu allegedly fast-tracked citizenship for Somoye himself before approving residency applications for Somoye’s wife and child, demonstrating personal benefit from the corruption.
Law Enforcement Response
Ganiyu resigned from USCIS in March, citing personal reasons, several months before his arrest. U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould condemned the alleged conduct as a betrayal of public trust. Each defendant faces up to five years in federal prison and fines reaching $250,000 if convicted. The case represents part of broader federal efforts to combat immigration fraud, including recent charges against 11 individuals for organizing over 1,000 sham marriages and crackdowns on birth tourism operations offering citizenship services to foreign nationals.