4 Indians Indicted For Staging Armed Robberies To Get U–Visa

India-West News Desk

CHICAGO, IL – In a crackdown on visa fraud, a federal court has indicted six individuals, including four Indians, for orchestrating armed robberies in Chicago and its suburbs. The purpose of these staged crimes was to exploit U.S. immigration laws and obtain U visas, reserved for certain crime victims.

According to the indictment unsealed in federal court in Chicago on May 17, Bhikhabhai Patel, Nilesh Patel, Ravinaben Patel, and Rajni Kumar Patel colluded with Parth Nayi and Kewong Young to pose as victims of these fake robberies. The goal was to submit fraudulent applications for U nonimmigrant status (“U-visa”), which is designated for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and can assist law enforcement or government officials in investigations or prosecutions.

The indictment details how the four main conspirators paid Nayi thousands of dollars to stage the robberies. During these incidents, individuals pretending to be robbers brandished what appeared to be firearms, confronted the supposed victims, and demanded money and property. After these staged events, the purported victims submitted forms to local law enforcement to obtain certification that they were victims of qualifying crimes and had been or would be helpful in the investigation.

Upon receiving these certifications, some of the supposed victims submitted fraudulent U-visa applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, based on their alleged status as robbery victims, according to the Department of Justice.

The individuals charged are: Parth Nayi, 26; Kewong Young, 31; Bhikhabhai Patel, 51; Nilesh Patel, 32; Ravinaben Patel, 23; and Rajnikumar Patel, 32.

All six defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Additionally, Ravinaben Patel faces an individual count of making a false statement in a visa application. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, while the false statement charge against Ravinaben Patel is punishable by up to ten years.