Former USCIS Official Charged in $960,000 Bribery Scheme Over Citizenship Cases
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 7
Former USCIS Official Charged in $960,000 Bribery Scheme Over Citizenship Cases
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 7
Summary
Federal prosecutors arrested former USCIS official Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and alleged intermediary Adeniyi Akeem Somoye on conspiracy charges tied to nearly $960,000 in bribes for immigration favors.
Between December 2019 and March 2026, prosecutors say Ganiyu bypassed background checks, interviews and other reviews, altered USCIS systems, and rerouted cases from Minneapolis, Charlotte and Houston so he could approve them himself.
Court records say Ganiyu took about $671,438 through Zelle and Cash App plus $287,830 in cash deposits, while Somoye processed roughly $1.7 million in applicant transfers and deposited $449,010 in cash.
The complaint says the pair exchanged thousands of WhatsApp messages and hundreds of calls with applicants, with most of the citizenship cases involving people from African countries.
Ganiyu resigned from USCIS in March citing personal reasons; both men now face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 if convicted.