Two Texas residents, Pakistani nationals, have been arrested on accusations of masterminding massive visa fraud scheme. Abdul Hadi Murshid, 39, and Muhammad Salman Nasir, 35, now stand serious federal charges for running a multi-year immigration scam involving phony jobs offers and fraudulent visa petitions.
FBI Busts Long-Running Immigration Scam
The two suspects worked in collaboration with a Texas law firm and a company called Reliable Ventures Inc., the FBI says. They are accused of visa fraud, money laundering, racketeering, and conspiracy. Murshid also has a separate charge of trying to illegally obtain American citizenship.
“. Large-scale arrests out of @FBIDallas. Abdul Hadi Murshid and Muhammad Salman Nasir, two men allegedly from Texas, who managed and ran a criminal venture evading American immigration laws by peddling phony visa applications,” wrote FBI Director Kash Patel in a tweet on X.
Major arrests out of @FBIDallas.
Abdul Hadi Murshid and Muhammad Salman Nasir — two individuals out of Texas who allegedly oversaw and operated a criminal enterprise circumventing American immigration laws by selling fraudulent visa applications.
Well done to our FBI teams and… https://t.co/w7BGcbD5BY
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) May 24, 2025
Visa Hunters Duped in Phony Work Scam
Officials charge that the duo made money by helping foreign nationals, described as “visa seekers,” enter and stay illegally in the U.S. The operation involved submitting bogus petitions under the employment-based visa categories including EB-2, EB-3, and H-1B.
To mimic actual job offers, the suspects supposedly posted false job postings in newspapers to fulfill U.S. Department of Labor requirements. Once they obtained approval for visas, they requested green cards and diverted money from visa applicants back to them in the form of phony paychecks to create the appearance of legal employment.
“These defendants are alleged to have committed significant steps to conceal a gigantic, multi-year, immigration fraud conspiracy under which they personally accumulated large amounts of money,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. He added that combating such crimes is a “top priority.”
FBI Describes Operation as Threat to National Security
FBI Dallas Special Agent R. Joseph Rothrock said, “The defendants supposedly managed a global criminal enterprise for years repeatedly assaulting our nation’s immigration laws. The laws are in place to protect national security and preserve the legal immigration process.”
Murshid and Nasir showed up in a federal court on May 23, and prosecutors asked for their detention leading up to trial. A hearing is set for May 30.
If they are convicted, the two men may each spend 20 years in prison. Furthermore, Murshid may be stripped of U.S. citizenship permanently based on the alleged scheme.
The arrests signal the enhanced focus by the U.S. government on preventing the integrity of its immigration processes and punishing abusive use of visa schemes.
