Major visa fraud busted: Indian-origin Chandrakant Lala Patel arrested for bribing cops to write fake robbery reports; got migrants U visas

An Indian-origin businessman in Louisiana, Chandrakant Patel, was arrested by the feds as a major immigration fraud that was going on for a decade was busted. Three current or former Louisiana police chiefs were also charged as they aided Patel in running the racket where immigrants got a U visa through staged and fake robbery -- as they became crime victims.

The investigation started as "an unusual concentration of armed robberies" was reported by people who were not from Louisiana, US Attorney Alexander C Van Hook said. These robberies never took place but there were police reports as cops were paid $5000 for each name they provided falsified reports for.

Those charged are the Oakdale police chief, Chad Doyle, Forest Hill police chief, Glynn Dixon, former Glenmora police chief Tebo Onishea, Michael “Freck” Slaney, a marshal in Oakdale, and Chandrakant “Lala” Patel, an Oakdale businessman.

"If convicted, the defendants each face a sentence of up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge; up to 10 years on the visa fraud charges; and up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge. Patel faces up to 10 years on the bribery charge. In addition, they could be ordered to pay a fine of up to $250,000 on each count," the US Citizenship and Immigration Services said.

What was the visa fraud?

Patel is the owner of a Louisiana Subway and is well known among immigrants. People seeking to stay in the US after their valid visa period had expired reached out to Patel, who would then contact the cops and pay them to get false reports of armed robberies naming the migrants as victims.

To apply for a U visa, aliens need a police report of the crime and certification and attestation of USCIS Form I-918B supporting documents. This category visa is meant for victims of crime, and aliens are eligible for a U visa if they meet certain criteria.