By Kashmira Konduparty
An Indian national has pleaded guilty to participating in a visa fraud conspiracy that involved staging armed robberies so individuals could falsely claim to be crime victims and obtain U.S. immigration benefits, according to U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts.
Mitul Patel, 40-year-old, of Worcester, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Prosecutors said Patel was among a group of Indian national who participated in a scheme designed to fraudulently secure U visas, a form of immigration relief available to victims of certain crimes who assist law enforcement investigations.
According to court documents, members of the conspiracy arranged staged armed robberies at convenience stores, liquor stores and restaurants in Massachusetts and other locations. The incidents were designed to make store clerks appear to be victims of violent crimes, allowing them to submit immigration applications based on false claims.
READ: 100,000 fake degrees raise H-1B visa concerns (June 7, 2026)
Federal authorities said participants would coordinate fake robberies in which an individual posing as a robber displayed what appeared to be a firearm and took cash from store registers. Surveillance cameras captured the incidents, after which the supposed victims would report the crimes to police and later use the reports to support immigration applications.
Prosecutors alleged that Patel participated as one of the purported victims in a staged robbery and later sought immigration benefits based on the fabricated incident. His guilty plea marks the latest development in a broader federal investigation into the scheme.
The case stems from an investigation that previously resulted in charges against 11 Indian nationals accused of taking part in the conspiracy. In April, a federal grand jury indicted 10 Indian nationals on conspiracy charges connected to the staged robberies. Authorities said several of the defendants were living in the United States unlawfully, while one had already been deported to India.
READ: Ken Paxton probes 30 Texas firms over alleged H-1B visa fraud (May 1, 2026)
Federal investigators have said the conspiracy was organized by Rambhai Patel, who was charged in 2023 and later convicted. Another participant, Balwinder Singh, served as a getaway driver in several of the staged incidents.
The U visa program was created to encourage victims of serious crimes to cooperate with law enforcement without fear of immigration consequences. Fraudulent schemes such as the one uncovered in Massachusetts sabotages the purpose of the program and divert resources from legitimate applicants.
Patel is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. A conviction for conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and possible deportation following completion of any sentence.