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Indian-origin Subway owner arrested over US visa fraud, fake robberies

A Subway franchisee owner in Louisiana, Chandrakant 'Lala' Patel, has been arrested for orchestrating a decade-long immigration fraud scheme that exploited a US visa programme meant for crime victims, the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana announced earlier this week. Patel, who also owns convenience stores in Oakdale, was charged with bribery, mail fraud, and money laundering for allegedly masterminding the scheme that helped hundreds of Indian nationals obtain U-visas. 'This case represents a deliberate attempt to undermine federal immigration protections for true victims of crime,' said Acting US Attorney Alexander C Van Hook. 'This kind of exploitation erodes public trust in both the immigration system and law enforcement.' Fake robberies reported for visas According to a federal indictment, Patel paid police officials in small Central Louisiana towns as much as $5,000 for each fabricated report of an armed robbery. These reports falsely identified Indian immigrants, most of whom had no ties to the area, as victims of these crimes, enabling them to apply for the coveted visas. Once the visas were approved, Patel was reimbursed by the immigrants or their intermediaries. Patel's clients either contacted him directly or through intermediaries to be listed as 'victims'. In return for thousands of dollars in payments, Patel arranged for fabricated police reports and signed I-918B certification forms from his law enforcement co-conspirators. The scheme allegedly ran from December 2015 through at least July 15, 2025. What is the U-visa? The U-visa is a special category reserved for undocumented immigrants who are victims of violent crimes and who assist law enforcement in investigations. The programme was created in 2,000 to provide a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants who are victims of serious crimes and who cooperate with law enforcement. Federal prosecutors have not said how many immigrants may have obtained legal status through the scheme or whether those individuals will face legal consequences. Patel and four police officers indicted Patel is accused of working with four law enforcement officials: Chad Doyle, Chief of Police for Oakdale Michael 'Freck' Slaney, Marshal of Ward 5 in Oakdale Glynn Dixon, Chief of Police for Forest Hill Tebo Onishea, former Chief of Police for Glenmora All five face charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud, along with multiple counts of visa fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. Additionally, Patel faces a charge of bribery. If convicted, the defendants face significant penalties, including up to 5 years in prison for conspiracy, up to 10 years for visa fraud, up to 20 years for mail fraud, and up to 10 years for bribery, which applies specifically to Patel. In addition to potential prison time, they could also be subject to fines of up to $250,000 for each count. The investigation is ongoing.