E-Paper
How two Indian men defrauded US visa system by staging robberies
Rambhai Patel, 37, has been sentenced for visa fraud conspiracy, while Balwinder Singh is slated to be sentenced in September 2025.
The US Attorney's office, this month, announced that it had sentenced an Indian for visa fraud conspiracy. The announcement of Rambhai Patel's sentencing came on August 20.
The 37-year-old, along with co-conspirator Balwinder Singh, were charged in December 2023. Patel, in May 2025, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. He will now spend 20 months and eight days in prison, after which there will be two years of supervised release. Patel will also forfeit $850,000, and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Singh also pled guilty in May but is slated to be sentenced on September 24, 2025.
What crime did the two Indians commit?
The U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts explained that starting in March 2023, Patel and Singh carried out staged armed robberies of at least 18 convenience or liquor stores and restaurants across the US – which included at least five in Massachusetts.
These robberies were carried out so the store clerks could claim they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U nonimmigrant status (U Visa), the Attorney's Office explained. U Visas are granted to victims of some crimes, who suffer mental or physical abuse, and help law enforcement investigate or prosecute criminal activity.
Also Read | Walmart rebuts H-1B visa scandal claims, but US Senator asks if it's time to ‘pause’ program
At the time of these staged robberies, the ‘robber’ would threaten the store clerk or owner with an apparent firearm, before taking cash from the register and getting away. These interactions would be logged on the store cameras. After about five minutes of the ‘robber’ leaving, the store clerk or owner would call the authorities to report the supposed crime. Patel was paid to take part in this scheme, authorities said, noting that one purported victim shelled out $20,000 for Patel to be part of the staged robbery. Patel also apparently paid the owners for using their stores to stage robberies.
Authorities noted he made $850,000 in this process, all of which he must now forfeit. The Attorney's Office also said that at least two purported victim co-conspirators had submitted U visa applications claiming they were victims of these staged armed robberies.
Notably, this news comes at a time when US Senator Mike Lee of Utah has already raised questions about whether the H-1B visa system should be paused amid concerns about fraudulent practices.
