Two Indian-origin men, Rambhai Patel, 36, and Balwinder Singh, 39, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston, Massachusetts, for their involvement in a visa fraud conspiracy linked to staged armed robberies. Patel, arrested in Seattle in December, remains detained pending trial, while Singh, arrested in Queens at the same time, was released on conditions after an initial appearance in December 2023. The scheme involved staging armed robberies in which clerks or owners would wait before reporting the crime, with victims allegedly paying Patel to participate.
According to allegations, one individual paid USD 20,000 to participate as a victim in one of these staged robberies, with Patel purportedly compensating store owners for using their premises for the fraudulent activities. It’s further claimed that at least two co-conspirators submitted U Visa applications, claiming to be victims of these staged robberies. The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries penalties of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of USD 250,000.
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