A case has been registered against 11 Indian citizens living illegally in America on charges of visa fraud. According to US federal prosecutors, these people had conspired to commit fake armed robberies in stores to get green cards. It is alleged that through these fake robberies, an attempt was made to obtain special visas for the people working in the shops by portraying them as victims of crime.

The accused include 39-year-old Jitendrakumar Patel, 36-year-old Maheshkumar Patel, 45-year-old Sanjaykumar Patel, 40-year-old Deepikaben Patel, 52-year-old Rameshbhai Patel, 43-year-old Amitabhain Patel, 28-year-old Raunakumar Patel, 36-year-old Sangeetaben Patel, 42-year-old Minkesh Patel, 42-year-old Sonal Patel and 40-year-old Mitul Patel. It has been told that all these people were living illegally in different states of America like Massachusetts, Kentucky and Ohio.

According to the US Justice Department, Deepikaben Patel, living in Weymouth, Massachusetts, has been sent to India. Whereas Jeetendrakumar, Maheshkumar, Sanjaykumar, Amitaben, Sangeetaben and Mitul were arrested in Massachusetts. He was presented in the federal court in Boston, where he was released after a preliminary hearing.

Apart from this, Rameshbhai, Raunak Kumar, Sonal and Minkesh have also been arrested. Their initial appearances took place in Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio and they will later be presented in federal court in Boston.

According to the prosecution, in March 2023, Rameshbhai and his associates planned and executed fake armed robberies of at least six shops, liquor stores and fast food restaurants in various places including Massachusetts. The purpose of these fake robberies was so that the people working there could later claim that they were victims of some violent crime.

Actually, in America there is a special visa called ‘U Visa’, which is given to those people who have been victims of some serious crime and help the police in the investigation. Through this visa, a person is allowed to work in America and after a few years the path to getting a green card also opens. Officials say that the accused had conspired to commit fake robberies to take advantage of this system. The investigation of the case is ongoing and if proven guilty, the accused may have to face severe punishment.