BY VEENA RAO
Houston, TX, August 5, 2026: A Houston-based biomedical engineer and Kuchipudi dancer became the target of false visa fraud allegations on social media after an anonymous X account accused her of violating the terms of a student visa. The claims were publicly debunked by U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz, whose office confirmed that the woman is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
The controversy began on July 30 when the X account @CyberGreen09, which identifies itself as a fan account of Pakistani actor Hamza Sohail, posted a video of the woman performing Kuchipudi and claimed she had been a “forever F-1 student since 2014.”
The post alleged, without providing evidence, that she had remained in the United States for 12 years by repeatedly enrolling in academic programs while working illegally as a dancer and tutor. It included the hashtag #visafraud.
Responding on X, Reitz said his office had reviewed the allegation.
“Thanks for flagging. My office looked. She’s a naturalized U.S. citizen, not here on student visa.”
He added that his office takes visa fraud seriously and prosecutes it “to the fullest,” stating that “neither illegal aliens nor those who obtain legal status illegally are welcome on American soil.”
While Reitz’s statement cleared the woman of the allegations, it also drew criticism from social media users who questioned why an anonymous online accusation had prompted a public response.
One commenter argued that authorities should not have thanked someone for “sending a mob on an innocent girl,” saying concerns should have been reported directly to law enforcement rather than posted publicly where they could go viral. Others questioned why the anonymous account was not being investigated for making false allegations based on the woman’s ethnicity and appearance.
The incident also drew a response from the Indian American Advocacy Council (IAAC), which criticized both the anonymous account and the handling of the episode by the U.S. Attorney’s office.
In a statement posted on X, the organization said “an American woman was filmed, named and falsely branded a ‘visa fraudster’ before millions.” It noted that Reitz’s office had confirmed the allegation was false and that the woman is a naturalized American citizen.
“She is not a guest. She is not a suspect. She is an American,” the IAAC wrote.
The advocacy group called on @CyberGreen09 to delete the accusation, issue “an equally prominent retraction and apology,” and preserve records relating to the publication of the post. It also invited the woman, or anyone who knows her, to contact the organization, saying it was prepared to help preserve evidence and connect her with legal counsel to evaluate a potential defamation claim.
“Naturalized Americans are not second-class citizens, and publicly destroying someone’s reputation with a reckless lie must have consequences,” the statement concluded.
The anonymous X account describes itself as a fan account dedicated to Pakistani television actor Hamza Sohail and does not appear to represent an official organization.
The video used in the original post showed the woman performing Kuchipudi, a classical Indian dance form. No evidence has been presented publicly to support the allegations made against her.
