Clifton Divers, Bribery and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, Michigan 2009

Clifton Divers, 48, of Detroit, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent, has been indicted on federal charges including bribery, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice. According to court documents unsealed today, Divers allegedly used his law enforcement authority to secure deportation deferrals and immigration benefits for non-citizen foreign nationals in exchange for over $5,000 in cash, free legal services, and other things of value. The criminal acts span from 2009 to 2015 and carry maximum penalties of five to twenty years per count.

Divers is further charged with conspiring to impair and obstruct the lawful functions of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through dishonest means. He is accused of destroying and falsifying records to hinder an official investigation by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. These obstruction charges stem from deliberate efforts to conceal his misconduct during a federal probe into corruption within federal immigration enforcement operations.

Also charged is Charles T. Busse, 58, of Birmingham, Michigan, an attorney who maintained law offices in Rochester Hills and Dearborn. Busse was charged via criminal information with paying bribes to Divers in exchange for immigration favors for his clients. The indictment alleges Busse orchestrated a scheme in which he funneled cash and benefits to a federal agent to improperly influence immigration outcomes, undermining the integrity of federal enforcement systems.

Busse faces additional charges of conspiracy to obstruct the Department of Homeland Security, criminal tax evasion, and failure to report cash payments exceeding $10,000 — a federal requirement for attorneys handling large financial transactions. The four charges against him carry maximum sentences ranging from five to fifteen years. Investigators say Busse attempted to hide income from bribes by failing to file accurate tax returns and avoiding currency reporting rules.

U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade stated, “Anyone who abuses a federal law enforcement position for personal profit can expect to face serious penalties, including criminal prosecution.” She emphasized that corruption at the federal level erodes public trust and threatens national security. McQuade credited the Office of Inspector General and IRS Criminal Investigations for their dogged pursuit of accountability.

Giovanni Tiano, Special Agent in Charge of DHS Office of Inspector General, said, “Acts of corruption within the Department of Homeland Security represent a threat to our national security.” Manny Muriel of IRS Criminal Investigations added that tax cheats who profit from corruption “cannot evade their tax reporting obligations without consequences.” The investigation underscores federal resolve to root out corruption, even within the ranks of law enforcement and legal professionals.

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