Washington: Federal prosecutors in the United States have charged 11 Indian nationals in connection with an alleged scheme involving staged robberies designed to fraudulently obtain immigration benefits.
According to the United States Department of Justice, the accused individuals are suspected of participating in a conspiracy in which convenience stores and fast-food outlets were used to stage fake armed robberies. The plan allegedly allowed store clerks to claim they were victims of violent crimes when applying for a special immigration status.
Authorities said the suspects — many of whom were living in the U.S. without legal status — have been charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud. The individuals were residing in several states including Massachusetts, Kentucky and Ohio at the time of their arrests.
Officials confirmed that one of the accused, Dipikaben Patel, has already been deported to India after allegedly staying illegally in Weymouth, Massachusetts.
Several of the defendants were arrested in Massachusetts and later appeared in federal court in Boston before being released pending further proceedings. Others were detained in Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio and are expected to appear before a federal court in Boston at a later stage.
Scheme allegedly involved fake armed robberies
Investigators say the operation began around March 2023 when an organiser and associates allegedly arranged staged robberies at multiple stores in Massachusetts and other locations.
During these incidents, a person posing as an armed robber would enter a shop, threaten employees with what appeared to be a firearm, take money from the cash register and flee the scene. The events were intentionally captured on security cameras.
According to the charging documents, store employees would wait several minutes after the robber left before contacting police to report the crime.
Prosecutors believe the purpose was to allow participants to apply for a U Visa, which is designed for victims of certain crimes who assist law enforcement investigations. The visa provides work authorisation and may eventually lead to permanent residency.
Authorities allege that participants paid the organiser to be included in the scheme, while store owners were compensated for allowing their businesses to be used in the staged incidents.
The alleged organiser, along with the individual who acted as the robber and the getaway driver, had already been prosecuted earlier in the case.
If convicted, the accused could face up to five years in prison, along with supervised release and financial penalties, according to prosecutors.
