Keypoints:
- Former immigration officer and associate charged
- Nearly $960k reportedly traced to Ganiyu
- Green card and citizenship approvals involved
TWO men identified by Nigerian media as Nigerians have been federally charged in Dallas over an alleged years-long immigration corruption scheme involving green card, residency and citizenship applications and payments reportedly approaching $960,000.
Federal authorities arrested Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former Senior Immigration Services Officer with US Citizenship and Immigration Services, and his alleged associate Adeniyi Akeem Somoye on September 2, 2026, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
The case centres on allegations that Ganiyu abused his official position between December 2019 and March 2026 to influence immigration decisions while bypassing safeguards designed to determine whether applicants were legally entitled to permanent residence or US citizenship.
Cash trail under scrutiny
A federal criminal complaint filed on August 31 charges Ganiyu and Somoye with conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities by a public official.
The US Justice Department said the defendants allegedly collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from immigration applicants, with several payments corresponding to approvals issued by Ganiyu.
Court documents reported by US media put the amount traced to Ganiyu at approximately $959,000, or nearly $960,000. The sum reportedly includes about $671,438 in electronic payments through platforms including Zelle and Cash App, alongside roughly $287,830 in cash deposits.
That detailed figure does not appear in the Justice Department’s public announcement, which describes the alleged proceeds more broadly as hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Court documents cited by US media also allege that Somoye handled about $1.7m in transaction volume involving applicants through bank accounts and payment platforms. The figure refers to overall transaction activity and does not mean prosecutors have accused him of personally receiving $1.7m in illegal payments.
Nigerian newspaper Vanguard identified both Ganiyu and Somoye as Nigerians. The Justice Department names both defendants but does not state their nationality or place of birth.
Green cards and citizenship involved
Federal prosecutors say the alleged scheme involved at least four major categories of immigration applications.
They included Form I-130 family petitions and Form I-485 applications for lawful permanent residence, commonly known as green cards.
Investigators also identified Form I-751 applications to remove conditions on certain permanent residence arrangements and Form N-400 applications for US citizenship through naturalisation.
Prosecutors allege that Ganiyu used his access and authority to approve or accelerate applications in return for payments.
US Attorney Ryan Raybould said: ‘Selling immigration benefits for cash is a blatant abuse of public trust.’
Safeguards allegedly bypassed
Federal investigators allege that Ganiyu circumvented required interviews, supervisory reviews, jurisdictional restrictions, background checks and other normal immigration procedures.
The Justice Department said many applicants allegedly assisted through the scheme were not eligible for the immigration benefits they received under federal law.
Court documents cited by US media further allege that Ganiyu took control of cases outside his normal jurisdiction, including applications associated with immigration offices in Minneapolis, Charlotte and Houston.
The Justice Department has not publicly said how many cases were affected or whether any green cards, residency decisions or citizenship approvals linked to the investigation have been revoked.
WhatsApp messages form evidence trail
Digital communications appear to form a substantial part of the federal investigation.
Authorities say investigators uncovered thousands of WhatsApp messages and hundreds of telephone calls involving Ganiyu, Somoye and immigration applicants during the period covered by the complaint.
The communications allegedly helped investigators connect financial payments with applications handled by Ganiyu.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said the alleged conduct ‘undermines the integrity’ of an immigration process tied to US national security.
The prosecution comes amid wider scrutiny of US immigration policy affecting Africans. Africa Briefing has reported on tighter US immigrant visa restrictions affecting African countries and heightened visa vetting involving Nigerian applicants.
Five-year prison terms possible
Ganiyu and Somoye appeared before a US magistrate judge following their arrests on September 2.
If convicted, each faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation is being conducted by the USCIS Office of Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the FBI Dallas Field Office. Assistant US Attorney Chad Meacham of the Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
Federal prosecutors stressed that the criminal complaint contains allegations only. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
