Charges Against Louisiana Police Officials in Visa Fraud Scheme
A current or former chief of the Louisiana State Police has been implicated in a scheme aimed at allowing non-citizen crime victims to access special visas, potentially facilitating fraudulent crimes against immigrants.
High-ranking police officials are reportedly accepting “hundreds of bribes” in return for filing fraudulent police reports that depict non-existent crimes targeting immigrants.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, Alexander C. Van Hook, communicated to reporters in Lafayette on Wednesday that individuals were allegedly paid $5,000 for each name included in these misleading reports, involving “hundreds” of names in total.
Those charged include Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, Forest Hill Police Chief Glynn Dixon, former Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onysia, ex-Oakdale officer Michael “Fleck” Slaney, and Oakdale businessman Chandrakant “Lala” Patel.
Van Hook stated that there was “a rare concentration of armed robbers of people not coming from Louisiana.”
A judge in Shreveport has issued a 62-count indictment against the alleged scheme, with charges including conspiracy to commit visa fraud, bribery, mail fraud, and money laundering. Authorities revealed that two former police chiefs had been taken into custody by the time of the press conference on Wednesday.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, around 10,000 individuals received U-Visas during the period from September 30, 2021, to September 30, 2022, which is the latest data available.
These special visas are designated for individuals who have experienced “mental or physical abuse” or who assist law enforcement and government officials in investigating criminal activity, as reported by the agency.
In 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Agency highlighted vulnerabilities in the U-VISA program, suggesting it was susceptible to fraudulent applications, which stemmed from claims of poor management.
Louisiana is home to nine immigration and customs enforcement facilities, housing approximately 7,000 individuals awaiting deportation.
