US grand jury indicts 10 Indian nationals in visa fraud case tied to staged robberies

WASHINGTON: A federal grand jury in Boston has indicted 10 Indian nationals over an alleged conspiracy involving staged armed robberies at convenience stores so store clerks could falsely present themselves as crime victims in immigration applications, according to a statement posted on the US Justice Department’s website.

The statement said the accused had earlier been charged through a criminal complaint in March 2026. The Boston grand jury on Thursday charged the 10 defendants with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud.

According to the Justice Department statement, all 10 had previously been charged by criminal complaint and released under conditions. Two of them, Rameshbhai Patel and Ronakkumar Patel, had been taken into immigration custody.

The statement further said the defendants could be deported after completing any sentence imposed in the case.

Earlier investigation and alleged scheme

The Justice Department said the case emerged from an investigation into Rambhai Patel, described as the organiser of the scheme, and Balwinder Singh, identified as the getaway driver. Both men were charged in December 2023 and were later convicted in May 2025, the statement said.

Citing charging documents from March 2023, the statement said Rambhai Patel and others allegedly planned and carried out staged armed robberies at at least six convenience stores, liquor stores and fast food restaurants in Massachusetts and other locations.

“Rambhai Patel and his co-conspirators set up and carried out staged armed robberies of at least six convenience/ liquor stores and fast food restaurants in Massachusetts and elsewhere. It is alleged that the purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the clerks present to falsely claim that they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U non-immigration status (U Visa)”, it stated.

The statement explained that a U Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and who have assisted law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.

During the alleged staged robberies, the supposed robber would threaten store clerks or owners with what appeared to be a firearm, take money from the cash register and flee, while the incident was recorded on store surveillance cameras.

According to the statement, the clerks or owners would then wait five minutes or longer after the alleged robber had left before contacting police to report the incident. The Justice Department said the alleged victims each paid Rambhai Patel to take part in the arrangement, while Rambhai Patel in turn paid store owners for the use of their premises in the staged robberies.

Charges and possible penalties

The 10 defendants indicted by the Boston grand jury were alleged to have either coordinated with Rambhai Patel to arrange each robbery or paid for themselves or a relative to take part as a victim, the statement said.

The Justice Department said a conviction on the charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries a possible sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.

The statement said the defendants would also be subject to deportation after any sentence handed down by the court.