New Indictments in Visa Fraud Case

Additional suspects have been indicted in an ongoing visa fraud investigation that has persisted over several years.

On Friday, the Department of Justice brought charges against 11 individuals related to a scheme that involved staging armed robberies at convenience stores. The goal was to pressure store clerks into falsely claiming to be crime victims on their immigration applications.

The Justice Department indicated that the scheme was designed to help so-called “victims” of these robberies to falsely assert they were victims of violent crimes while seeking U visas, a specific type of immigration status.

Among the 11 suspects, ten, all from India, were apprehended in various states where they were reportedly living illegally, including Massachusetts, Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio. An eleventh suspect was deported back to India for being unlawfully present in the U.S.

As described by the Department of Justice, each robbery would include a “robber” threatening a store clerk at gunpoint, stealing cash, and leaving the scene. The clerk would reportedly then delay notifying the police, waiting at least five minutes before making the call.

Shop owners were allegedly compensated by Ranbhai Patel, who reportedly orchestrated 18 of these staged robberies. Those posing as victims supposedly paid Patel to participate in the fraud.

The fraudulent activities seem to have started in March 2023. The individuals indicted this past Friday were said to have arranged for each robbery or even participated themselves as “victims.”

Patel and another suspect, Balwinder Singh—who was already indicted in December 2023—were key figures in coordinating the staged incidents. Singh has pled guilty and is scheduled for sentencing in September 2025.

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U visa is designated for individuals who have suffered mental or physical abuse due to specific crimes and aims to help law enforcement investigate these activities.

The individuals charged include Jitendrakumar Patel, Maheshkumar Patel, Sanjay Kumar Patel, and several others—all facing one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Each of these charges carries a potential maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a hefty fine of $250,000.

After their initial court appearance, those indicted were released on conditions, with future court dates set in Boston.