Malaysian entrepreneur and Mindvalley CEO Vishen Lakhiani alleged that he was stopped and questioned by FBI upon arriving in the United States, despite holding an O-1 visa reserved for individuals with “extraordinary ability.” In an Instagram post, Vishen Lakhiani said he was detained by two FBI agents at Miami International Airport and asked to provide personal information, including his WhatsApp number and social media handles.
“I arrived in America and got stopped by the FBI at the airport even though I have an O-1 visa, which is a visa for people of extraordinary talent,” he wrote.
Vishen Lakhiani, who is of Indian descent, suggested the episode reflected broader issues unfolding in the US.
He said, “I really can’t wait for the next election
because what’s happening in America right now is insane. The fearmongering, the xenophobia, the blaming of immigrants by politicians with no ideas on how to truly make a country great.”
Vishen Lakhiani said he explained to the agents that he leads an American company employing 230 people across the world and has “been paying American taxes for 22 years.” He also posted a video describing the encounter, calling it “disheartening.”
Who Is Vishen Lakhiani?
Vishen Lakhiani was born in Malaysia to parents of Indian origin. He is the founder of Mindvalley, a global personal development company offering courses on mindfulness, wellness and leadership. Before starting Mindvalley, Vishen Lakhiani he pursued a corporate tech job in the US but during the dot-com crash, he turned to meditation.
“As I embraced meditation, my performance skyrocketed… I became the top performer, earned three promotions, and eventually became Director of Sales,” he told Gulf News.
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