Another day, another fraud
Selling green cards. Hey, why not?:
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced charges against a former government employee and his alleged accomplice, who are accused of selling immigration benefits and expedited application processing.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) praised the DOJ on September 6 for bringing charges against former USCIS Senior Immigration Services Officer Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu and Adeniyi Akeem Somoye. These two allegedly spent years taking gratuities in return for manipulating the immigration application process.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has provided details of how Lukman Owolabi Ganiyu, a Nigerian-American and former senior officer at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, allegedly made over a million dollars from desperate immigration applicants by bypassing rigorous background checks, required interviews, and supervisory reviews to obtain permanent residency and citizenship.
Despite the Donald Trump administration’s clampdown on immigration, Mr Ganiyu allegedly used his position as a USCIS senior officer to access applications from Nigerians and foreigners in the Electronic Immigration System and grant unlawful approvals between December 2019 and March 2026.
Mr Ganiyu, working in the Dallas Field Office, came under scrutiny after colleagues found he went to great lengths to approve green card applications, including those of individuals outside his jurisdiction and purview.
For instance, Mr Ganiyu assigned himself as the ISO2 (immigration service officer) on the I-130 immigration application (petition for alien relative) of M.N. (the applicant’s full name was redacted to initials in filings), even though the case was in the Minneapolis-St. Paul field office, according to court documents. Although he was in the Dallas Office, he made himself the case officer on November 3, 2022. On the same day, he approved the application after bypassing supervisory review.
In other words, he over-extended himself in a way that became suspicious. Otherwise, he probably would have gotten away with it.
As for his accomplice:
Somoye allegedly acted as a financial intermediary. Prosecutors say he handled about $1.7 million in transfers involving applicants through bank accounts, Zelle and Cash App, while allegedly keeping part of the money. He also allegedly deposited $449,010 in cash. The complaint says Ganiyu and Somoye frequently exchanged money “back and forth” with applicants.
Nice little gig.
I would hope this sorry episode doesn’t lead to anyone negatively associating Nigerians with fraud.
A Nigerian-American prince from the state of Learing. How unexpected.
So they mention the net dollar amounts, but I’m curious as to the number of people admitted with green cards. The article says, “hundreds of calls, and thousands of text messages.”
I like neo pointing out that they would have never been caught without their stupid or careless behavior. This, and many other such occurrences, make me suspect that corruption is fairly rampant. It’s amazing our society functions as well as it does, at this point.
A mediocre financial pundit used to routinely refer to our society as an example of “late stage capitalist” society/economy. Perhaps a society on a descending trajectory of fat/happy/lazy/and corrupt. (Oh, how cynical am I?)
Fraud is the main product of Nigeria. That’s what they do and excel at.
Nigeria is the 15th in oil production worldwide. So their second product has some net value to the world.
Cornhead beat me to it.
In defense of Nigerians, they are not all crooks, or perhaps not even predominantly crooks, Christian Nigerian immigrants in particular.
Lately it seems a growth industry in Nigeria is Christian martyrs. 🙁
Nigerians in America are industrialous fraudsters. This is well-known in financial circles.
Meanwhile, the UK “experiments” with a more virulent form…
“As Billionaires Flee U.K., British Government Picks a Fight With Israel;
“Talent, capital exit London as Labour fixates on West Bank”—
https://freebeacon.com/israel/as-billionaires-flee-u-k-british-government-picks-a-fight-with-israel/
File under: What’s good for Nigeria (and Putin and Xi and the Mullahs and Erdogan…) is good for us!
+ “Bonus”:
“An ally no longer;
“Britain has made itself an enemy of the Jewish people, a threat to the west and a menace to civilisation”—
https://melaniephillips.substack.com/p/an-ally-no-longer
H/T Powerline blog (for both).
AI seems perfectly suited for rooting out corruption in government operations, including elections.
The Federal govt. is incapable of overseeing any function or policy without massive waste or fraud or just funding unbelievably stupid programs.
And still, there are those who insist that the govt. needs to expand its services.
When the USA was still involved in the Afghan war, one federal agency spent a few million $$$$ promoting LGBQT rights there.
Think about that.
A country that allows marriage of 8 year old girls to adult men and forbids them education beyond, what, 8 years of age, and forces women to be covered from head to toe, and some incredibly stupid govt. employee(s) thought that money should be spent to promote a LGBQT agenda.
Really now, how incredibly stupid and moronic does someone have to be to promote this stuff in Afganistan.
Unbelievable.
How about $20 million of our tax payer money to fund a Sesame Street type show in Iraq ?
Yep; our tax dollars at work.
Academic achievement levels in the USA have been falling for what, 20 , 30 years and still (!!!!) there exists a Dept of Education.
Unbelievable.
Just speculating; 25% of annual federal expenditures are wasted due to fraud or inefficiencies or just plain, really stupid programs. The annual federal budget is about $ 7 TRILLION (!!!); so 1/4 of that is $1.75 TRILLION.
The Federal income tax amendment to the Constitution must be repealed. The only way to stop the govt’s wasteful, stupid, profligate ways, is to shut
off the flow of $$$.