1000’s of WhatsApp messages and a whole lot of cellphone calls helped investigators uncover an alleged bribery scheme involving a former senior U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS) official, prosecutors say. Ex-USCIS official Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and his alleged monetary confederate, Adeniyi Akeem Somoye, have been charged over a scheme wherein they allegedly accepted almost $960,000 to govern and pace up immigration profit purposes, together with citizenship circumstances.As per a Fox Information report, the 2 males have been arrested on federal fees of conspiracy to obtain unlawful gratuities by a public official, based on the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the Northern District of Texas. Prosecutors allege the scheme operated from December 2019 by March 2026 and concerned candidates paying cash in alternate for particular therapy.
How WhatsApp messages helped investigators hint alleged rip-off
A key a part of the investigation was the pair’s digital communication with candidates. Investigators discovered hundreds of WhatsApp messages and a whole lot of calls between Ganiyu, Somoye and other people whose immigration purposes they dealt with, based on prosecutors.The communications allegedly confirmed repeated contact between the 2 males and candidates concerned within the immigration circumstances. Prosecutors allege the pair used these contacts as a part of a system wherein candidates paid for his or her circumstances to be pushed by the immigration course of, the report states.
Former USCIS official allegedly fast-tracked citizenship circumstances
Based on the allegations, Ganiyu used his place at USCIS to bypass regular procedures for candidates who paid bribes. Prosecutors say some purposes have been moved ahead with out key steps akin to prison background checks, interviews, normal USCIS processing procedures and different critiques.Ganiyu allegedly modified info within the USCIS system to hurry up purposes. Prosecutors additionally allege that he moved circumstances from USCIS subject places of work in Minneapolis, Charlotte and Houston in order that he may approve them himself, bypassing native supervisors.The criticism additional alleges that Ganiyu fast-tracked Somoye’s citizenship software earlier than approving residency purposes for Somoye’s spouse and youngster.
Prosecutors say almost $960,000 was paid
Court docket paperwork cited within the report say Ganiyu obtained about $671,438 from citizenship candidates by Zelle and Money App. He additionally allegedly obtained $287,830 by money deposits that prosecutors say have been supposed to cover the supply of the cash.Somoye allegedly acted as a monetary middleman. Prosecutors say he dealt with about $1.7 million in transfers involving candidates by financial institution accounts, Zelle and Money App, whereas allegedly maintaining a part of the cash. He additionally allegedly deposited $449,010 in money. The criticism says Ganiyu and Somoye incessantly exchanged cash “backwards and forwards” with candidates.Based on prosecutors, many of the citizenship purposes dealt with by the pair concerned candidates from African nations. The allegations cowl a interval of greater than six years, from December 2019 till March 2026.Ganiyu resigned from USCIS in March, citing “private causes,” based on the report. He was arrested a number of months later.
