Two Texas residents, a law firm, and a business entity have been indicted on charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States, visa fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) conspiracy, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Abdul Hadi Murshid, 39, and Muhammad Salman Nasir, 35, both originally from Pakistan, along with the Law Offices of D. Robert Jones PLLC and Reliable Ventures, Inc., are accused of engaging in a scheme to commit visa fraud for financial gain and to facilitate fraudulent entry and immigration status in the United States. Murshid and Nasir also face charges of unlawfully obtaining and attempting to obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to the indictment, Murshid, Nasir, and others allegedly submitted false and fraudulent visa applications and applications to adjust status for non-U.S. citizen “visa seekers” to allow them to enter and remain in the country.
"These defendants are charged with engaging in extensive measures to hide a massive, multi-year, immigration fraud scheme through which they reaped substantial personal financial gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “Pursuing criminal charges to deter and punish this type of flagrant disregard for the lawful immigration process is a top priority of this Office.”
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock emphasized the importance of immigration laws. “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,” Rothrock stated.
The indictment alleges that the defendants exploited the EB-2, EB-3, and H-1B visa programs. As part of the scheme, they allegedly placed classified advertisements for non-existent jobs to satisfy Department of Labor requirements. Once fraudulent certifications were obtained, they filed petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for immigrant visas and applications for legal permanent residence. To make the non-existent jobs appear legitimate, the defendants reportedly received payments from visa seekers, then returned a portion as purported payroll.
Murshid and Nasir made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford today, with detention hearings scheduled for May 30, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian McKay.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison. Murshid also faces denaturalization if convicted of unlawfully obtaining and attempting to obtain his United States citizenship.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation, with significant assistance from the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Hocter, Tiffany H. Eggers, and Jongwoo Chung are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
