FBI arrests two Pakistani men for operation of massive immigration fraud scheme in Texas

The FBI has arrested two men from Pakistan living in Texas who are accused of operating an immigration scheme that sold fraudulent visa applications.

Abdul Hadi Murshi and Muhammad Salman Nasir, originally from Pakistan, have been accused of submitting fraudulent applications for visas and for adjustments of status to unlawfully enter and remain in the country. Both men were arrested in Texas and face multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, visa fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The pair were also charged with unlawfully obtaining and attempting to obtain United States citizenship.

“Major arrests out of [Dallas],” FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X. “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 partners in the investigation.”

The indictment alleges the defendants exploited the EB-2, EB-3, and H-1B visa programs by placing classified ads in newspapers for jobs that did not exist. These ads were used to falsely satisfy Department of Labor requirements that employers must first offer positions to US citizens before sponsoring foreign workers. Once the fraudulent labor certifications were secured, the defendants allegedly submitted petitions to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) along with green card applications for the visa seekers.

To create the illusion that the positions were real, the defendants accepted payments from the visa seekers, then returned a portion as purported wages.

"The defendants allegedly oversaw an international criminal enterprise for years that repeatedly undermined our nation’s immigration laws. These laws are necessary to protect national security and safeguard the lawful immigration process,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock in a statement. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will hold any individual accountable that misuses their position of trust for personal profit.”

If convicted, Murshid and Nasir face up to 20 years in federal prison. Murshid may also face denaturalization if found guilty of unlawfully obtaining US citizenship.