In a years-long case, the Department of Justice has charged 11 individuals in connection with an alleged visa fraud conspiracy ring that involved staging armed robberies of convenience stores.
According to the DOJ’s press release, the scheme enabled store clerks to falsely claim they were victims of violent crime on applications for U visas. The purpose of the operation was to allow these “victims” to present themselves as crime survivors when seeking the special immigration status.
The conspiracy began in March 2023 and involved individuals who orchestrated staged armed robberies. In these incidents, a robber would threaten store clerks with an apparent firearm, take cash from the register, and flee before the clerk reported the incident after waiting five minutes or more. Rambhai Patel, who has already been sentenced in August for his role in organizing at least 18 such robberies, was identified as a central figure. The DOJ stated that store owners were compensated by Patel and his alleged co-conspirators, while the “victims” allegedly paid Patel to participate in the scheme.
The 11 individuals charged are all Indian nationals. Ten were arrested in states where they were “unlawfully residing,” including Massachusetts, Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio. The 11th individual, an Indian national deported to India after “unlawfully residing” in Weymouth, Massachusetts, was also charged.
The list of defendants includes Jitendrakumar Patel; Maheshkumar Patel; Sanjaykumar Patel; Amitabahen Patel; Sangitaben Patel; Mitul Patel; Rameshbhai Patel; Ronakkumar Patel; Sonal Patel; Minkesh Patel; and Dipikaben Patel. All face one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, which carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
Those charged were released after initial appearances and are scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. The U visa program, as defined by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is intended for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in criminal investigations.
