The Department of Justice (DOJ) is actively pursuing criminal charges against individuals involved in fraudulent marriage schemes. Authorities have charged 11 individuals for orchestrating over 1,000 sham marriages intended to exploit the U.S. visa system. Concurrently, Texas officials are intensifying inspections of birth tourism centers that promise instant American citizenship for newborns of Chinese nationals.
A former senior official from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and an accomplice face federal charges for allegedly accepting $960,000 in bribes to expedite immigration benefit applications. Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and financial intermediary Adeniyi Akeem Somoye were apprehended by federal authorities for their involvement in a multi-year bribery scheme. They allegedly manipulated immigration applications by bypassing important procedural steps like background checks and interviews.
Between December 2019 and March 2026, Ganiyu reportedly expedited applications for applicants who paid bribes, ignoring standard USCIS protocols and directly approving applications by rerouting them away from field offices in cities such as Minneapolis, Charlotte, and Houston. Somoye is accused of processing $1.7 million in transactions linked to these bribery activities, including deposits and transfers made through Zelle and Cash App.
Court documents reveal that the majority of applications involved individuals from African countries. Prosecutors allege that Ganiyu modified USCIS systems to prioritize applications in exchange for financial compensation. The defendants, if convicted, could each face up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould emphasized the breach of public trust in this case, stating, “Selling immigration benefits for cash is a blatant abuse of public trust.” He assured swift action when federal officials are found pricing lawful status.
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