Former USCIS officer, associate charged in alleged scheme to fast-track immigration applications for cash

Federal authorities in North Texas have charged a former U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services senior immigration officer and an associate in an alleged multiyear corruption scheme tied to the approval and expedited processing of immigration applications. Prosecutors say the case involved unlawful gratuities, cash payments and the misuse of official authority to move cases outside normal procedures.

The complaint names Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former Senior Immigration Services Officer with USCIS, and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye. Both were arrested on Sept. 2 after a criminal complaint was filed Aug. 31 in federal court. Each faces a charge of conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities by a public official, a count that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

According to prosecutors, the alleged scheme ran from December 2019 through March 2026 and centered on immigration benefits such as Form I-130 petitions for alien relatives, Form I-485 applications to adjust status, Form I-751 petitions to remove conditions on residence and Form N-400 naturalization applications. Authorities say Ganiyu used his position to approve applications in exchange for money and bypassed interviews, supervisory review, jurisdictional limits, background checks and standard USCIS processing protocols.

Investigators allege thousands of messages and calls tied to the scheme

Prosecutors also allege that the two men collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants, with some payments corresponding directly to approvals issued by Ganiyu. Investigators say they reviewed extensive WhatsApp communications between Ganiyu, Somoye and applicants whose cases were handled during the charged period, including thousands of messages and hundreds of calls.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said the allegations amount to a betrayal of public trust, while FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said manipulation of immigration decisions undermines the integrity of a process tied to national security. The criminal complaint emphasizes that the allegations are not evidence of guilt and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise.

The investigation was led by USCIS Office of Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the FBI Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham is prosecuting the case. The defendants made their initial court appearances on Sept. 2 before a U.S. magistrate judge, and the case will continue in federal court.