Story perspectives

USCIS Officials Arrested for $960,000 Bribery Scheme

9/7/2026

Summary

Story summary

Former senior USCIS official Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye were arrested on bribery charges.
Prosecutors allege they accepted nearly $960,000 to manipulate immigration benefit applications from December 2019 through March 2026.
Ganiyu allegedly received $959,268 in cash and electronic payments, while Somoye processed $1.7 million transfers and deposited $449,010 cash.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said each faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

History

Historical Context

In 1997, a federal investigation of the Immigration and Naturalization Service uncovered a bribery ring that led to twelve convictions and the seizure of $2.5 million. The probe, led by U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White, revealed that former INS officer James R. Smith accepted $1.2 million in cash and electronic transfers. That scandal mirrors today’s charges against former USCIS officials Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, who allegedly took nearly $960,000 in bribes to manipulate immigration benefits. Both episodes underscore persistent vulnerabilities in U.S. immigration agencies, prompting successive reforms such as the 2003 creation of USCIS to separate adjudication from enforcement.

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Story summary

Former senior USCIS official Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye were arrested on bribery charges.
Prosecutors allege they accepted nearly $960,000 to manipulate immigration benefit applications from December 2019 through March 2026.
Ganiyu allegedly received $959,268 in cash and electronic payments, while Somoye processed $1.7 million transfers and deposited $449,010 cash.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said each faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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