US Influencer Targets Telugu Bizman Over Visa Fraud

Hyderabad: US social media influencer Sara Gonzales has once again sparked debate over the H-1B visas after confronting another Telugu-origin businessman in the United States, accusing him of visa fraud.

Sara visited the home of Sakam Nagarjuna Reddy, director of Great America Technologies Inc., and recorded a confrontation that was later posted on social media. In the video, she alleged that the company was operating as a “scam company” and questioned whether any employees were actually working under him. She claimed that the company had failed to provide required public access files linked to H-1B visa rules.

During the exchange, Nagarjuna Reddy repeatedly asked Sara to leave his property and warned that he would sue her for trespassing and defamation. The video quickly spread online and added to the growing political argument in the US over immigration and employment visas.

Gonzales has become a well-known social media influencer in recent months for posting videos in which she visits addresses connected to H-1B sponsoring companies in Texas. In several videos, she claimed some firms were operating from homes or virtual offices and accused them of abusing the visa system.

However, the targeted companies have argued that many small businesses legally operate from residential addresses and alleged that she has not produced direct proof of fraud in many cases, and has sensationalised the issue in the name of exposing a scam.

At the same time, Republican leaders in the US are increasing their criticism of employment-based visa programmes. Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt recently posted a long thread on X attacking the H-1B, L-1, F-1 and OPT visa systems, claiming they are hurting American workers and lowering wages.

Schmitt alleged that bad actors, especially from India, are running a “visa cartel”, involving recruiters, outsourcing firms, shell companies and middlemen who allegedly bring foreign workers into the US through interconnected business networks.

According to him, some companies recruit workers overseas, file visa petitions through linked firms, place them into jobs and manage payroll through separate entities. He claimed the system allows businesses to hire cheaper “visa-dependent labour” while American workers lose opportunities.

One of the most controversial parts of Schmitt’s comments was his reference to Hyderabad’s famous Chilkur Balaji Temple, popularly known as the “Visa Temple”.

“The ‘Visa Cartel’ has its own ‘Visa Temple’ in Hyderabad, which sees thousands of Indians circling altars and getting passports blessed for US work visas. American workers shouldn’t have to compete against a system this gamed”, he wrote on X.

His remarks triggered strong reactions online, especially from Indians who accused the Senator of insulting a Hindu temple and mocking people’s faith. “I can't believe a sitting US senator is so racist and bigoted to instigate hate against a community, Hindus and Indians. Shame on you”, wrote an X user.