# Ex-Immigration Officer Indicted for Cash-for-Approvals Scheme

> Former USCIS officer Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu faces federal charges after allegedly selling green cards and citizenship approvals for cash, skipping background checks.
- Title: Ex-Immigration Officer Indicted for Cash-for-Approvals Scheme
- Summary: Former USCIS officer Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu faces federal charges after allegedly selling green cards and citizenship approvals for cash, skipping background…
- Keywords: lukman owolabi ganiyu, uscis, green cards, federal charges, background checks, cash for approvals, immigration fraud, news, politics, Ex-Immigration, Officer, Indicted
- Source: Dallas Express — https://dallasexpress.com/crime/green-cards-for-cash-feds-say-ex-immigration-officer-sold-approvals-skipped-background-checks
- Author: Dallas Express
- Published: 2026-09-27T15:00:19+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: lukman owolabi ganiyu, uscis, green cards, federal charges, background checks, cash for approvals, immigration fraud, news, politics
## Indictment Details
A federal grand jury in North Texas charged Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a former USCIS officer, and his associate with conspiracy to receive illegal payments for immigration approvals.

> Selling immigration benefits for cash is a blatant abuse of public trust.
## Alleged Scheme Timeline
The scheme ran from December 2019 through March 2026, involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and digital payments.
## Bypassed Safeguards
Ganiyu skipped required interviews, supervisory reviews, and jurisdictional limits to accelerate approvals, prosecutors said.
## Financial Transactions
Investigators found $287,830 in unexplained cash deposits and $671,438 in direct payments through Zelle and Cash App.
## Communication Records
Thousands of WhatsApp messages and hundreds of calls were identified between the defendants and applicants.
## Legal Consequences
Both men face up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
## Defense Position
Ganiyu denies any criminal conduct and disputes the government's description of the transactions and applications.
## Key takeaway

A former USCIS officer admitted to bypassing background checks to approve immigration benefits for cash payments.