Posted by Chinenye on Wed 09th Sep, 2026 - tori.ng
Two Nigerian men are facing serious allegations in the United States after investigators uncovered a scheme involving immigration applications and secret payments.
(U.S Police. Photo by Vanguard News)
Two Nigerians have been arrested in the United States for allegedly taking money in exchange for speeding up and approving immigration applications illegally.
Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former senior officer with U.S. immigration services, and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye were arrested on September 2 after federal charges were filed against them.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould announced the arrests, saying the men were involved in a scheme to take illegal payments from people applying for immigration benefits.
According to the complaint, Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu used his position between December 2019 and March 2026 to approve different types of immigration applications in exchange for cash.
These included applications for bringing relatives to the U.S., becoming permanent residents, removing conditions on residency and applying for citizenship.
Investigators say Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu bypassed required procedures and checks to rush applications through.
He allegedly skipped required interviews, supervisor reviews, background checks and other standard processes.
Some applicants whose cases were fast-tracked were not even eligible for the immigration benefits they received.
The two men allegedly collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants.
Investigators found messages on WhatsApp between Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, Adeniyi Akeem Somoye and numerous applicants, including thousands of messages and hundreds of phone calls during the investigation period.
Ryan Raybould, the U.S. Attorney, said selling immigration benefits for money is a clear abuse of public trust and will not be tolerated.
R. Joseph Rothrock, the FBI's Dallas agent in charge, said the alleged actions undermined the integrity of America's immigration system and national security.
Both men appeared in court on September 2. If convicted, each faces up to five years in prison and fines of up to 250,000 dollars.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham and was investigated by immigration services, homeland security and the FBI.