Two Pakistanis indicted in major US visa scam

DALLAS: Two Pakistanis, along with a law firm and a company, have been indicted in the United States (US) for allegedly running a large-scale visa fraud operation.

Federal prosecutors said Abdul Hadi Murshid, 39, and Muhammad Salman Nasir, 35, both residents of Texas, are at the centre of the case.

They have been charged alongside the Law Offices of D. Robert Jones PLLC and Reliable Ventures, Inc.

According to the indictment, the accused misused EB-2, EB-3, and H-1B visa programs by posting fake job advertisements to meet US Department of Labour requirements.

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They allegedly obtained labour certifications fraudulently and submitted false petitions to US Citizenship and Immigration Services to secure visas for applicants.

Payments made by visa applicants were reportedly returned as fake salaries to make the jobs seem real.

Charges include conspiracy to defraud the US, visa fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and RICO conspiracy. If convicted, the suspects face up to 20 years in federal prison.

Their first court appearance was on May 23, while detention hearings are set for May 30. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are among the agencies investigating the case.

“These individuals are accused of running a large-scale, long-term immigration fraud scheme that brought them significant personal profit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “Cracking down on such blatant abuse of the immigration system remains a top priority for our office.”

FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge, R. Joseph Rothrock, added, “The accused allegedly operated an international criminal network for years, consistently violating U.S. immigration laws.”

It’s important to note that an indictment is not proof of guilt. All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.