A former U.S. immigration officer and his associate, both Nigerian nationals, have been charged in the United States over an alleged scheme to accept bribes in exchange for manipulating and expediting immigration applications.

Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former Senior Immigration Services Officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye were arrested on September 2 and appeared in federal court the same day.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a federal criminal complaint filed on August 31 accuses the two men of conspiring to receive illegal gratuities as public officials. If convicted, each faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Prosecutors allege that between December 2019 and March 2026, Ganiyu used his position at USCIS to approve immigration applications in exchange for payments.

The applications allegedly included petitions for family-based immigration, adjustment of status, removal of conditions on residence and U.S. citizenship.

The complaint further alleges that Ganiyu bypassed required interviews, supervisory reviews, jurisdictional restrictions, background checks and other USCIS procedures to speed up applications. Some of the applicants were allegedly ineligible for the immigration benefits they received.

Investigators said Ganiyu and Somoye collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants. Some of the payments allegedly corresponded directly with immigration approvals issued by Ganiyu.

The investigation also uncovered extensive WhatsApp communications involving the two defendants and applicants whose cases they handled. According to the Justice Department, investigators identified thousands of messages and hundreds of calls during the period covered by the charges.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said the alleged conduct represented an abuse of public trust and vowed to pursue cases involving corruption within the federal immigration system.

FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said the alleged manipulation of immigration decisions for personal gain threatened the integrity of a system with implications for national security.

The charges are allegations, and Ganiyu and Somoye are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. (Credit: Solakuti.com)