(AI)
Eleven Indians have been arrested in the United States and accused of committing visa fraud after federal prosecutors accused them of being part of a plot in which they made faked armed robberies inside convenience stores. The suspects supposedly made counterfeit robberies according to the Department of Justice of the United States to ensure that the store clerks could report victimisation to violent crimes when seeking immigration relief.
According to investigators, it was aimed at acquiring a U Visa which is a special visa that is supposed to be given to victims of some crimes who would assist law enforcement in their investigations. The government says that the fake cases were well orchestrated to leave some evidence which can be utilized despite any immigration procedures towards legal status and in the long run a Green Card.
In these fake robberies, prosecutors claim that an accomplice would enter a store pretending to rob with a gun, occasionally threatening clerks with what seemed to be a gun. He or she would then steal money in the register and escape as all these were captured on camera. Investigators state that the involved clerks or store owners would intentionally take several minutes to call the police and report the alleged robbery and make it appear as a real one. Authorities indicate that participants supposedly gave money to an organiser known as Rambhai to organize the fake incidents with store owners reportedly paid to use their businesses in the scheme.
The accused persons were illegally residing in some states in the US like Massachusetts, Kentucky and Ohio. The accused were found to be Jitendrakumar Patel, Maheshkumar Patel, Sanjaykumar Patel, Dipikaben Patel, Rameshbhai Patel, Amitabahen Patel, Ronakkumar Patel, Sangitaben Patel, Minkesh Patel, Sonal Patel and Mitul Patel. Dipikaben Patel was already deported to India and some of them were arrested and released later by appearing in federal court at Boston. In case they are convicted of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, the defendants may receive terms of up to five years in prison, three-year supervised release and up to 250,000 fines. Inquiries are still underway on the supposed fraud scheme.
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