Federal Immigration Officer Charged With Soliciting a Bribe

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Amara Dukuly, 43, of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, an immigration officer employed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with bribery of a public official, arising from his alleged solicitation of a bribe in exchange for official acts.

The criminal complaint alleges that, from approximately 2015 to the present, the defendant used his status as a USCIS employee to extract payments from individuals in exchange for promises to help them obtain adjustments to their immigration status, such as a green card, work authorization documents, or visas.

The complaint further alleges that, given the scope of his job duties, Dukuly did not have the authority to do any of the things he promised these individuals. After corruptly seeking, receiving, and accepting money in return for being influenced in the performance of an official act, Dukuly converted the monies he obtained from these bribes for his personal benefit.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information regarding this defendant or other government employees soliciting bribes, whether money or something else of value, is asked to call 1-866-347-2423, select prompt number two, and mention Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia.

This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, HSI, and the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve.

The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.