FBI busts convenience store clerks for 'staged armed robberies' to apply for immigration benefits

Federal authorities accidental 11 Indian nationals were charged successful a strategy to signifier equipped robberies astatine convenience stores and restaurants, truthful participants could falsely assertion to beryllium transgression victims erstwhile applying for migration benefits.

The defendants were charged with conspiracy to perpetrate visa fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office successful Massachusetts.

Prosecutors allege the strategy centered connected fake robberies designed to assistance clerks oregon store owners question U visas, a signifier of migration alleviation disposable to definite victims of superior crimes who assistance instrumentality enforcement.

Six defendants were arrested successful Massachusetts and released aft archetypal appearances successful national tribunal successful Boston. Others were arrested successful Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio, and are expected to look aboriginal successful Boston. 

An 11th suspect had antecedently been deported to India, authorities said.

Indian nationals charged successful a visa fraud strategy involving fake robberies astatine Massachusetts stores. Federal authorities accidental the 11 defendants staged equipped robberies to assertion U visa benefits. (FBI Boston/X)

According to charging documents, the alleged conspiracy began successful March 2023, and progressive astatine slightest six convenience stores, liquor stores and fast-food restaurants successful Massachusetts, with further incidents elsewhere.

Investigators accidental the staged robberies followed a script.

A purported robber would participate a business, endanger clerks oregon owners with what appeared to beryllium a firearm, instrumentality currency from the registry and flee.

The encounters were captured connected store surveillance video, prosecutors said, helping make the quality of morganatic crimes.

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Federal authorities arrested 11 Indian nationals accused of orchestrating fake robberies to defraud the migration system.  (FBI Boston/X)

Authorities allege the clerks oregon owners past waited 5 minutes oregon much earlier calling police, allowing the expected robber clip to flight and making the incidents look real.

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Prosecutors accidental the participants portrayed arsenic victims paid an organizer to instrumentality portion successful the scheme. The organizer, successful turn, allegedly paid store owners for the usage of their businesses arsenic robbery locations.

Prosecutors accidental 11 radical conspired to fake equipped robberies crossed states, with participants paying organizers to beryllium listed arsenic victims for visas. (FBI Boston/X)

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The alleged organizer, on with the purported robber and a getaway driver, had already been charged and convicted successful the case, according to national authorities. The 11 radical charged this week are accused of either arranging robberies with the organizer oregon paying for themselves oregon relatives to beryllium listed arsenic victims.

The complaint of conspiracy to perpetrate visa fraud carries a imaginable condemnation of up to 5 years successful prison, up to 3 years of supervised merchandise and a good of up to $250,000. Any condemnation would beryllium determined by a national judge.

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According to a merchandise from the Massachusetts Department of Justice, the pursuing defendants person been charged with 1 number of conspiracy to perpetrate visa fraud:

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• Jitendrakumar Patel, 39, unlawfully residing successful Marshfield, Mass.;
• Maheshkumar Patel, 36, unlawfully residing successful Randolph, Mass.;
• Sanjaykumar Patel, 45, unlawfully residing successful Quincy, Mass.;
• Dipikaben Patel, 40, deported to India aft unlawfully residing successful Weymouth, Mass.;
• Rameshbhai Patel, 52, unlawfully residing successful Eubank, Ky.;
• Amitabahen Patel, 43, unlawfully residing successful Plainville, Mass.;
• Ronakkumar Patel, 28, unlawfully residing successful Maryland Heights, Miss.;
• Sangitaben Patel, 36, unlawfully residing successful Randolph, Mass.;
• Minkesh Patel, 42, unlawfully residing successful Perrysburg, Ohio;
• Sonal Patel, 42, unlawfully residing successful Perrysburg, Ohio; and
• Mitul Patel, 40, unlawfully residing successful Worcester, Mass.