He Got A U Visa, Then Turned It Into A Business – Along With Corrupt Police
LAFAYETTE, LA (IANS) — Chandrakant “Lala” Patel, a Louisiana businessman with roots in the has been charged in a sweeping federal visa fraud conspiracy involving three police chiefs, a city marshal, and at least 25 fake crime victims. Prosecutors say Patel masterminded a scheme to exploit the U Visa program, which is meant to protect undocumented immigrants who are victims of serious crimes and willing to cooperate with law enforcement.
The indictment, unsealed July 16, alleges that Patel paid police officials in three small Louisiana towns—Oakdale, Forest Hill, and Glenmora—to fabricate armed robbery reports, listing individuals of Patel’s choosing as victims. The goal: to falsely position these individuals to receive U Visas and legal residency in the U.S.
A federal grand jury in Lafayette charged Patel and the law enforcement officials with conspiracy and fraud. Under U.S. law, grand juries are citizen panels that determine if sufficient evidence exists to bring formal charges.
Patel, who owns two convenience stores and operates a fast-food restaurant, allegedly paid officers $5,000 for each false police report. Investigators traced $230,000 in payments and property worth over $50,000 linked to the scheme.
Court records show that at least 25 people with the last name “Patel,” identified only by initials, were falsely listed as victims. These individuals were described in police reports as having cooperated with investigations into crimes that never actually occurred. Authorities say Patel and the officers knew the reports were fraudulent, but submitted them to support immigration applications anyway.
Patel himself had previously obtained a U Visa, making his central role in the conspiracy especially striking. The program was designed to protect vulnerable crime victims, but officials say Patel turned it into a pay-to-play system, offering immigration relief in exchange for cash and complicity.
Among those charged alongside Patel are Chad Doyle, police chief of Oakdale; Glynn Dixon, chief of Forest Hill; Tebo Onishea, chief of Glenmora; and Michael Slaney, Oakdale city marshal. In a related twist, Allison Doyle, Chad Doyle’s wife, was also arrested on state corruption charges, though she is not named in the federal case.
This case is not an isolated event. Federal prosecutors referenced similar visa fraud cases involving Indian nationals, including a scheme uncovered earlier this year in Massachusetts. In that instance, Rambhai Patel and Balwinder Singh pleaded guilty to staging fake armed robberies at stores across multiple states, allowing participants to falsely claim victim status for U Visa applications. One “victim” reportedly paid up to $20,000 to be included in the staged events.
The Chandrakant Patel case underscores growing concerns about systemic abuse of humanitarian visa programs. While the U Visa initiative was intended to support immigrant victims of real crimes, authorities say it is increasingly being exploited by bad actors—some of them with prior experience navigating the very system they now stand accused of defrauding.
