DOJ Targets Widespread Immigration Fraud Schemes
The Department of Justice has charged 11 individuals in connection with a scheme involving over 1,000 fraudulent marriages designed to exploit the visa system. These actions underscore a crackdown on immigration fraud, especially as Texas officials focus on birth tourism centers that provide instant U.S. citizenship to the newborns of Chinese nationals.
A former senior official from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, along with his accomplice Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, have been arrested on federal charges. They allegedly executed a multi-year bribery scheme, accepting nearly $960,000 to manipulate and expedite various immigration benefit applications, including citizenship cases.
Ganiyu and Somoye face charges of conspiracy to receive illegal gratuities by a public official. Their arrest followed the discovery of extensive WhatsApp communication between them and numerous immigration applicants. This communication included thousands of messages and hundreds of calls.
DOJ charges focus on sham marriages and birth tourism, exposing large-scale exploits of immigration systems.
From December 2019 to March 2026, prosecutors allege that Ganiyu bypassed standard USCIS procedures by expediting the processing of applicants who paid bribes. Critical steps like criminal background checks and interviews were skipped, allowing for the manipulated approval of applications. Additionally, Ganiyu reportedly adjusted the USCIS system to prioritize these applications.
Notably, citizenship was fast-tracked for Somoye before residency applications for his wife and child were approved. The applications were allegedly rerouted from USCIS field offices in Minneapolis, Charlotte, and Houston without approval from local supervisors.
Court documents reveal that Ganiyu received about $671,438 through digital payments and $287,830 in cash deposits intended to obscure the money’s origins. Acting as a financial intermediary, Somoye managed around $1.7 million in applicant transactions. He utilized various bank accounts and digital payment apps while allegedly retaining a portion of the funds and depositing $449,010 in cash.
Prosecutors indicate that the majority of the applications managed by Ganiyu and Somoye involved individuals from African countries. Each defendant could face up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
According to prosecutors, Ganiyu resigned from USCIS in March due to “personal reasons,” preceding his arrest by several months.
“Selling immigration benefits for cash is a blatant abuse of public trust,” stated U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “When a federal official puts a price tag on lawful status, we will intervene immediately.” Each can face significant penalties, including lengthy prison terms and steep fines.