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Boston, April 13: A federal grand jury in Boston has indicted ten Indian nationals for allegedly orchestrating staged armed robberies of convenience stores to allow clerks to fraudulently claim they were victims on immigration applications. The defendants were previously charged in March 2026.
The indictment charges each defendant with conspiracy to commit visa fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. All are also subject to deportation after completing any sentence imposed, as per the statement issued by US Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts.
Those named in the indictment include Jitendrakumar Patel, 39; Maheshkumar Patel, 36; Sanjaykumar Patel, 45; Dipikaben Patel, 40; Rameshbhai Patel, 52; Amitabahen Patel, 43; Ronakkumar Patel, 28; Sangitaben Patel, 36; Minkesh Patel, 42; and Sonal Patel, 42.
Authorities said all 10 had earlier been charged through a criminal complaint. Two of them, Rameshbhai Patel and Ronakkumar Patel, are now in immigration custody and all face possible deportation after sentencing.
The investigation traces back to Rambhai Patel, the alleged organizer of the scheme, and getaway driver Balwinder Singh, who were convicted in May 2025. According to the indictment, in March 2023, Rambhai Patel and co-conspirators staged armed robberies at six or more convenience stores, liquor stores, and fast-food outlets in Massachusetts and other states.
The robberies were designed to create a pretext for clerks or owners to apply for U Visas, which are granted to victims of certain crimes who assist law enforcement.
The U visa was introduced by the U.S. Congress in October 2000 under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act to provide protection to victims of serious crimes who assist law enforcement in investigations or prosecutions. To qualify for a U visa, applicants must be victims of specified criminal activities, have suffered physical or mental harm, provide useful information regarding the crime, and cooperate with law enforcement. In addition, applicants must meet the admissibility requirements outlined under U.S. immigration law.
During these staged robberies, the “robber” allegedly threatened store employees with a fake firearm and stole cash, with the encounters captured on store surveillance cameras. Victims then waited several minutes before reporting the crime to police.
The indictment claims that the defendants paid Rambhai Patel to stage the robberies or arranged for family members to participate as “victims.”
The case was announced by US Attorney Leah B. Foley and FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks. The investigation involved multiple U.S. Attorney’s Offices, FBI field offices, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Massachusetts State Police, and law enforcement agencies across several states.
The indictment emphasizes that the details are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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