11 Indian nationals charged with visa fraud conspiracy in US
The Attorney office issued a press release on March 13, showing that all eleven Indian nationals have been charged with at least one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Many of them residing unlawfully in Massachusetts. PHOTO: PEXELS
The United States on Friday charged 11 Indian nationals over a conspiracy involving visa fraud and attempts to obtain immigration benefits.
According to a press release issued by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts in Boston on March 13, the defendants staged armed robberies of convenience stores to allow clerks to falsely claim they were crime victims on immigration applications.
The statement said all of them were charged with at least one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, with many reportedly residing unlawfully in Massachusetts. All had the surname Patel.
It said Jitendrakumar, 39; Maheshkumar, 36; Sanjaykumar, 45; Rameshbhai, 52; Amitabahen, 43; Ronakkumar, 28; Sangitaben, 36; Minkesh, 42; Sonal, 42; and Mitul, 40 were living in the US unlawfully, while 40-year-old Dipikaben from Weymouth, Massachusetts, was deported to India.
Six of the accused individuals were arrested in Massachusetts and released after appearing in a federal court in Boston earlier on Friday.
Three of them were arrested in Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio and made their initial court appearances there. They are expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
🚨#BREAKING: #FBI Boston's Violent Crimes Task Force has arrested 10 Indian nationals across MA, KY, MO, & OH for allegedly participating in staged armed robberies for the purpose of allowing store clerks to claim they were "victims" of violent crime so they could apply for… pic.twitter.com/SG4oQW9z1t
Staged armed robberies
Documents show that in March 2023, Rambhai with his co-conspirators, planned and carried out staged arm robberies at at-least six convenience, liquor and fast food restaurants in Massachusetts and other areas.
The staged robberies were reportedly designed to let clerks falsely claim to be victims of violent crimes, enabling them to apply for U non-immigrant status — a visa category available to certain crime victims who suffered physical or mental abuse and who assist law enforcement in investigating or prosecuting the criminal act.
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“In the course of the alleged staged robberies, the ‘robber’ would threaten store clerks or owners with an apparent firearm before taking cash from the register and fleeing, while the interaction was recorded on store surveillance video. The clerks or owners would then wait five or more minutes until the ‘robber’ had left before calling police to report the ‘crime’. The ‘victims’ are alleged to have each paid Rambhai to participate in the scheme, who in turn reportedly paid the store owners for the use of their premises for the staged robbery,” the press release said.
The statement said that Rambhai — the alleged “robber” — and the getaway driver had previously faced criminal charges. The 11 charged either helped him organise each staged robbery or paid for themselves or a family member to participate as a “victim”.
The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are determined by a federal district court judge in accordance with US sentencing guidelines and relevant statutes governing criminal cases.