Two Nigerians Arrested In US Over Alleged Immigration Bribery Scheme
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
Two Nigerians, Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former senior officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, have been arrested in the United States over an alleged scheme to collect illegal payments to manipulate and fast-track immigration applications.
United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould, announced the arrests on Tuesday, saying a federal criminal complaint filed on August 31 charged the duo with conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities by a public official. Federal agents arrested them on September 2.
According to the complaint, Ganiyu allegedly used his position between December 2019 and March 2026 to approve immigration applications in exchange for payments, while bypassing mandatory procedures including interviews, supervisory reviews, background checks and jurisdictional restrictions. Some applicants allegedly did not qualify for the benefits they received.
Investigators alleged that Ganiyu and Somoye collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants, with some payments reportedly corresponding directly with immigration approvals.
Authorities also uncovered thousands of WhatsApp messages and hundreds of phone calls between the suspects and applicants whose cases they allegedly handled.
Raybould described the alleged conduct as a blatant abuse of public trust, while FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said manipulating immigration decisions for personal gain undermines the integrity of a system critical to national security.
The suspects appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on September 2 and each faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted.
The case was investigated by USCIS, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the FBI.
The allegations remain accusations, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
