Ex-USCIS Officer Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye Arrested in US Over Alleged Cash-for-Green Cards, Citizenship Scheme.

Federal authorities in Texas have charged a former senior U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer along with an associate in connection with a years-long corruption scheme involving payments to improperly approve and expedite immigration applications.

Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, who previously served as a Senior Immigration Services Officer with USCIS, and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye were arrested on September 2, 2026, following a federal criminal complaint filed on August 31. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas made the announcement of the charges on September 4.

According to the complaint, from December 2019 to March 2026, Ganiyu allegedly used his official position to approve applications—including Forms I-130, I-485, I-751, and N-400—in exchange for money. Investigators claim he bypassed essential steps such as required interviews, supervisory review, jurisdictional limits, background checks, and standard USCIS protocols, with some applicants not even qualifying under federal law.

Prosecutors allege the two collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants, with payments sometimes matching the approvals Ganiyu issued. Investigators also uncovered a wealth of WhatsApp communications, including thousands of messages and hundreds of calls between Ganiyu, Somoye, and numerous applicants whose cases they handled.

Both defendants face up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if found guilty.