Two Texas residents have been arrested for allegedly operating a criminal racket that exploited the US immigration system through fraudulent visa applications, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced this on Friday.

Abdul Hadi Murshid, 39, and Muhammad Salman Nasir, 35, both originally from Pakistan, were taken into custody following a joint investigation led by FBI Dallas and federal law enforcement partners.

The duo now faces multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, visa fraud, money laundering conspiracy and Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) conspiracy.

The charges were announced by Acting US Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Chad E Meacham. Murshid and Nasir are also accused of unlawfully obtaining and attempting to obtain US citizenship.

According to the indictment, the accused, along with the Law Offices of D Robert Jones PLLC and Reliable Ventures, Inc., allegedly orchestrated a large-scale visa fraud scheme for financial gain.

Investigators claim they submitted false and fraudulent applications on behalf of non-citizens – referred to in the indictment as “visa seekers” – to help them enter and remain in the US illegally.

On social media, FBI Director Kash Patel praised the arrests, writing 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 partners in the investigation.”