Overview
- Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint on Aug. 31 and arrested Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye after initial court appearances on Sept. 2 in the Northern District of Texas.
- Authorities allege the pair collected nearly $960,000 through Zelle, Cash App and cash deposits while Somoye processed larger transfer volume as an alleged money manager.
- Investigators say Ganiyu used his role to reroute and approve cases from field offices in Minneapolis, Charlotte and Houston, bypassing interviews, supervisory review and background checks.
- The case was investigated by USCIS Office of Investigations, the DHS Office of Inspector General and the FBI, and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
- Each defendant faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000, and the case raises questions about how USCIS case controls and national‑security screening can be strengthened.