2 Indo-US indicted for visa fraud conspiracy through ‘staged robberies’
2 Indo-US indicted for visa fraud conspiracy through ‘staged robberies’
New York: Two Indian-origin men, who were arrested for staging armed robberies in a visa fraud conspiracy, have been indicted by a federal grand jury. Rambhai Patel, 36 and Balwinder Singh, 39, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to commit visa fraud in Boston, Massachusetts.
Patel was arrested in Seattle in December last year and remains detained pending trial. Singh was arrested in Queens here at the same time and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in December 2023.
According to the charging documents, starting in March 2023, Patel and his co-conspirators, including at times Singh, set up and carried out staged armed robberies of at least nine convenience/liquor stores and fast-food restaurants across the United States, including at least five in Massachusetts.
It is alleged that the purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the clerks present to claim that they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U non-immigration status (U Visa).
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