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Former USCIS Official and Financial Intermediary Charged in $960,000 Citizenship Bribery Case
Just the facts
Former senior USCIS official Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and financial intermediary Adeniyi Akeem Somoye were arrested on federal charges of conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities. Prosecutors allege that between December 2019 and March 2026, Ganiyu bypassed required background checks, personal interviews, and field office supervisors in Minneapolis, Charlotte, and Houston to fast-track naturalization applications. Ganiyu and Somoye allegedly processed over $960,000 in bribes through Zelle, Cash App, and direct cash deposits, and each faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
Why this is news
Federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Texas charged a former U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services official and his associate for accepting approximately $960,000 in exchange for bypassing naturalization background checks.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.