A former senior immigration official and his associate have been arrested for allegedly turning America’s immigration system into their own personal cash machine.
The Justice Department announced Friday that Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former Senior Immigration Services Officer with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye were arrested on federal charges tied to an alleged multi-year corruption scheme.
Federal agents arrested both men on September 2 following a criminal complaint filed on August 31.
The pair is charged with conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities by a public official.
According to prosecutors, Ganiyu allegedly used his powerful position inside USCIS to approve immigration applications in exchange for money from December 2019 through March 2026.
This was allegedly an inside job at the agency responsible for determining who receives green cards—and who ultimately becomes an American citizen.
Hellbound and Down 