A former officer from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has been arrested and charged for allegedly selling immigration benefits, including green cards. Federal prosecutors reported that Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu was apprehended on September 2 for involvement in a corruption scheme related to immigration applications.

Prosecutors have claimed that Ganiyu misused his USCIS position from December 2019 to March 2026 by approving immigration applications in return for money. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas stated that he unlawfully expedited and approved applications for permanent residency and citizenship, circumventing mandatory federal review processes.

Allegations include the improper handling of Form I-485, the application for lawful permanent resident status, alongside petitions related to family sponsorship, removal of residency conditions, and naturalization. Ganiyu and co-conspirator Adeniyi Akeem Somoye allegedly coordinated these illegal actions through detailed WhatsApp communications, during which they received hundreds of thousands of dollars from applicants. Somoye was also arrested on September 2.

“Selling immigration benefits for cash is a blatant abuse of public trust,” stated U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould in a press release. “When a federal official puts a price tag on lawful status, we will intervene immediately. Public corruption will never be tolerated in the Northern District of Texas.”

USCIS responded on X, writing, “There is no place in this agency for corruption, abuse of authority, or violations of public trust.”

This story is ongoing and will be updated as more information becomes available.