10 Indian Nationals Indicted in Staged Robbery Visa Fraud

A federal grand jury in Boston has indicted ten Indian nationals on charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, accusing them of participating in a scheme that involved staging armed robberies at convenience stores, liquor outlets, and fast-food restaurants to help store clerks fraudulently apply for immigration benefits.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the indictments on Friday, following initial criminal complaints filed against the individuals in March. Prosecutors allege the operation, which began in March 2023, targeted at least six locations primarily in Massachusetts but also in other states. The defendants, all of whom were living unlawfully in the United States, include Jitendrakumar Patel, 39, of Marshfield, Massachusetts; Maheshkumar Patel, 36, of Randolph, Massachusetts; Sanjaykumar Patel, 45, of Quincy, Massachusetts; Dipikaben Patel, 40, who was deported to India after residing in Weymouth, Massachusetts; Rameshbhai Patel, 52, of Eubank, Kentucky; Amitabahen Patel, 43, of Plainville, Massachusetts; Ronakkumar Patel, 28, of Maryland Heights, Mississippi; Sangitaben Patel, 36, of Randolph, Massachusetts; Minkesh Patel, 42, of Perrysburg, Ohio; and Sonal...