Full Breakdown
Federal Crackdown on Fraudulent Visa Schemes Expands Nationwide
4/25/2026, 11:30:01 AM
Core Event: Nationwide Enforcement Targets Visa Fraud
The Justice Department announced multiple prosecutions that illustrate a continued federal effort to dismantle fraudulent visa schemes. In New Jersey, Hyung Ki Kim pleaded guilty to a 13-year conspiracy that used B-1/B-2 tourist visas to bring South Korean nationals for forced-labor and charity-fundraising. In Missouri, Mercy Ojedeji received a three-year sentence for obtaining a student visa with counterfeit transcripts and using it in a romance-fraud operation that cost victims over $1 million. In Texas, Pakistani nationals Abdul Hadi Murshid and Muhammad Salman Nasir face charges for falsifying EB-2, EB-3 and H-1B applications, money-laundering and racketeering. In New York, Afghan national Dilbar Gul Taj Ali Khan was arrested for defrauding the Special Immigrant Visa program with forged documents.
Background & Context: Administration’s Emphasis on Visa Fraud Enforcement
The Trump administration has prioritized cracking down on visa fraud, allocating resources to detect schemes that exploit tourism, student, employment-based and humanitarian visas. Recent prosecutions reflect a broader strategy to protect the integrity of U.S. immigration programs and prevent misuse of public benefits.
Key Figures & Organizations
Hyung Ki Kim, director of the Leadership Training Program in New Jersey, recruited South Korean youth linked to the Unification Church. Mercy Ojedeji, a Nigerian, used a fraudulent University of Missouri student visa to obtain a Social Security number and conduct a romance-fraud scheme. Pakistani businessmen Abdul Hadi Murshid and Muhammad Salman Nasir, operating through D. Robert Jones PLLC and Reliable Ventures, Inc., allegedly fabricated job ads to meet Department of Labor requirements for EB-2, EB-3 and H-1B petitions. Afghan national Dilbar Gul Taj Ali Khan secured a Special Immigrant Visa with counterfeit embassy approval and employment letters. U.S. Attorney’s Offices in New Jersey, Missouri, Texas and New York filed the indictments.
Data & Statistics
Kim diverted over $1 million, was ordered to pay $900,000 restitution and forfeit $1.2 million. Ojedeji’s romance-fraud scheme caused losses exceeding $1 million and involved a $49,000 taxpayer-funded stipend. Murshid and Nasir allegedly collected fees to fund fake payrolls and fraudulent Department of Labor certifications. Khan’s visa relied on a fabricated employment verification letter from a known document-fraud operation.
Official Statements & Responses
The U.S. Attorney’s Offices called the schemes unlawful work operations that violated visa eligibility and exploited vulnerable foreign nationals. The Northern District of Texas indictment said false job ads were used to meet Department of Labor requirements, constituting a conspiracy to defraud the United States. The Western District of New York noted that Khan’s visa was granted despite forged embassy and recommendation letters, prompting removal proceedings.
Why It Matters
These cases show how fraudulent visa practices can enable forced labor, financial scams and the misappropriation of government-funded benefits. Targeting multiple visa categories helps preserve the credibility of immigration pathways and shields U.S. taxpayers from fraud-related losses.
What’s Next
Kim’s sentencing is set for August 2024; Khan faces removal after conviction. Murshid and Nasir remain under indictment, and investigators continue probing agricultural-visa fraud in several states. Officials indicate further prosecutions are likely as the crackdown proceeds.
