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A Nigerian-American immigration services official and his Nigerian accomplice have been arrested after federal prosecutors accused them of accepting payments to expedite immigration applications, including cases involving green cards and U.S. citizenship.
This is Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, who was arrested on September 2 along with alleged co-conspirator Adeniyi Akeem Somoye.
US prosecutors accuse them of running a bribery scheme for several years, with Ganiyu allegedly using his position within USCIS to approve or expedite requests outside the agency’s normal procedures and Somoye as the source of thousands of dollars’ worth of payments.
According to federal prosecutors, the alleged scheme operated from December 2019 to March 2026, during which Ganiyu bypassed interviews, supervisory checks, jurisdictional restrictions, background checks and other safeguards to secure immigration benefits for applicants.
Applications reportedly included filing Form I-485 for lawful permanent residency, as well as cases involving family sponsorship, removal of conditions on residency, and naturalization. Prosecutors argue that some recipients were not eligible for the immigration benefits they received under federal law.
Investigators say Ganiyu and Somoye communicated extensively via WhatsApp while arranging payments and immigration approvals. The affidavit reportedly identified approximately $287,830 in unexplained cash deposits into Ganiyu’s accounts and approximately $671,438 in payments through services including Zelle and Cash App.
Some of these transactions were reportedly linked to people with USCIS requests. Ganiyu earned approximately $407,838 in salary from USCIS between 2020 and 2025 and reported no other employment during that period, according to investigators.
One case highlighted by investigators involved Somoye’s naturalization application. The affidavit claims Ganiyu assigned himself the application and approved it on the same day in December 2022.
Investigators say Ganiyu subsequently received approximately $138,392 from Somoye via wire transfers between May 2023 and January 2026. Another $21,900 allegedly came from a company operated by Somoye.
The case came to investigators’ attention in May 2025 after the USCIS Bureau of Investigation received an allegation that Ganiyu was screening and processing certain applicants outside of the agency’s established procedures.
A review of his government email account allegedly uncovered personal financial documents, including bank statements showing payments by Somoye.
Ganiyu joined USCIS in November 2018 and has worked in Kansas, Texas and North Carolina. He was promoted to Senior Immigration Services Officer in Dallas in April 2024.
He resigned from USCIS on March 21, 2026, citing personal reasons, according to the affidavit.
US Attorney Ryan Raybould speaks at a press conference in Fort Worth. Source: Amanda McCoy
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said the alleged behavior constituted a serious breach of public trust.
“Selling immigration benefits for money is a blatant abuse of the public trust.”
Raybould added that federal prosecutors will take action when officials attempt to put a price on legal immigration status, saying, “Public corruption will never be tolerated in the Northern District of Texas.”
USCIS also responded to the case, saying, “There is no place in this agency for corruption, abuse of authority, or violations of public trust.”
The investigation involved the USCIS Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI’s Dallas Field Office.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said the alleged conduct went beyond ordinary corruption due to the nature of the decisions involved.
“The alleged manipulation of immigration decisions for personal gain undermines the integrity of a process essential to our national security.”
He said the FBI and its law enforcement partners remain committed to holding accountable people who abuse positions of trust.
Federal prosecutors initially sought to keep Ganiyu in custody, pointing to his dual U.S. and Nigerian citizenship, international travel history, foreign bank accounts and properties in Nigeria as potential flight risks.
A magistrate judge, however, ordered his release on conditions that included GPS monitoring, travel restrictions and the surrender of his U.S. and Nigerian passports.
His lawyer argued that Ganiyu was not considered a danger to the community and that the restrictions were sufficient to warrant his appearance in court.
Ganiyu and Somoye each face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted.
The case remains pending and the charges against both men have not been proven in court.
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