Rambhai Patel, a 37-year-old Indian-origin man residing in New York, has been sentenced to 20 months and eight days in prison for his involvement in a visa fraud conspiracy. Following his jail term, Patel will undergo two years of supervised release and is subject to deportation. Additionally, he must forfeit approximately $850,000, the amount he earned from the fraudulent operation.
Beginning in March 2023, Patel and his co-conspirator, Balwinder Singh, orchestrated at least 18 staged armed robberies at convenience stores, liquor stores, and fast-food restaurants across the United States, including five incidents in Massachusetts. These fake robberies were designed to enable store clerks and owners to claim they were victims of violent crimes on their U nonimmigrant status (U visa) applications.
The U visa is intended for victims of certain serious crimes who have experienced mental or physical abuse and who cooperate with law enforcement during investigations and prosecutions.
Details of the Fraudulent Crimes
During the staged robberies, an individual pretending to be the robber threatened store clerks and owners with what appeared to be a firearm, took cash from registers, and quickly fled the premises—all captured by store surveillance cameras. After each staged incident, the clerks and owners waited several minutes before reporting the “crime” to authorities. Many “victims” paid Patel to participate in these staged events; one individual allegedly paid $20,000 for their role.
In turn, Patel compensated store owners for allowing their stores to be used for these fraudulent robberies. At least two of the purported victims who took part later submitted U visa applications based on their false claims of victimhood during the staged crimes. The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud can carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Law Enforcement Action and Sentencing
Patel pleaded guilty in May 2025. His co-conspirator, Singh, is scheduled for sentencing in September 2025. This investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, U.S. immigration authorities, and various state and local police departments around the country.
The sentencing highlights the U.S. government’s firm crackdown on visa fraud, particularly fraudulent schemes exploiting the U visa program designed to protect genuine crime victims.