Federal prosecutors have charged a former senior immigration officer and his associate with taking payments to fast-track citizenship and other immigration approvals.
Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu worked as a senior officer in the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in Texas.
According to DOJ prosecutors, he pulled cases from several field offices and approved applications without the usual review.
His associate, Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, is accused of handling the money side of the operation.
Authorities say the pair used messaging apps to deal directly with applicants and approved forms such as petitions for relatives, adjustment of status, removal of conditions, and naturalization. The charged period runs from December of 2019 through March of 2026.
According to the accusation, they collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants, some of which corresponded to Ganiyu’s approvals.
Both males were arrested on September 2nd. If found guilty of conspiracy to receive unlawful gratuities, each could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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