Two individuals, Rambhai Patel and Balwinder Singh, face charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud in the United States. The allegations suggest that they orchestrated staged armed robberies to facilitate the victims' applications for immigration benefits.
Patel was apprehended in Seattle and appeared in the Western District of Washington. Singh, arrested in Queens, had his initial appearance in the Eastern District of New York. Singh later appeared in a federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, Patel and his associates, including Singh at times, organized staged armed robberies at several convenience stores, liquor stores, and fast-food restaurants across the US, including multiple locations in Massachusetts.
The intention behind these staged robberies was to enable the clerks present during the incidents to claim victimization on applications for U non-immigration status (U Visa). The U Visa is available to victims of specific crimes who have experienced mental or physical abuse and have assisted law enforcement in criminal investigations or prosecutions.
During these staged events, the purported robber would threaten store clerks or owners with an apparent firearm, take cash from the register, and depart while the entire interaction was recorded on store surveillance systems. Following the staged event, the victims would wait for the "robber" to escape before reporting the "crime" to the police.
It's alleged that each participant paid Patel to take part in the scheme, with Patel paying store owners for using their premises for the staged robberies.
The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, along with three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. However, it's important to note that these details are allegations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
(With Agency Inputs)
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