10 Indian nationals indicted in Massachusetts fake robbery visa fraud schemeDigital Content EditorBOSTON —Ten Indian nationals were indicted Thursday in connection with an elaborate scheme to fake armed robberies across Massachusetts to boost immigration application odds for their co-conspirators.According to the Department of Justice, the following 10 people were indicted by a federal grand jury with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud:Jitendrakumar Patel, 39, unlawfully residing in Marshfield, Mass.Maheshkumar Patel, 36, unlawfully residing in Randolph, Mass.Sanjaykumar Patel, 45, unlawfully residing in Quincy, Mass.Dipikaben Patel, 40, deported to India after unlawfully residing in Weymouth, Mass.Rameshbhai Patel, 52, unlawfully residing in Eubank, Ky.Amitabahen Patel, 43, unlawfully residing in Plainville, Mass.Ronakkumar Patel, 28, unlawfully residing in Maryland Heights, Miss.Sangitaben Patel, 36, unlawfully residing in Randolph, Mass.Minkesh Patel, 42, unlawfully residing in Perrysburg, Ohio.Sonal Patel, 42, unlawfully residing in Perrysburg, Ohio.They were all previously charged by criminal complaint and released on conditions.Rameshbhai Patel and Ronakkumar Patel have been taken into immigration custody. All others are subject to deportation after sentencing.According to charging documents, Rambhai Patel, the organizer of the scheme, Balwinder Singh, the getaway driver, and their co-conspirators staged armed robberies at least six convenience stores in Massachusetts in March 2023.Officials said during these fake robberies, the "robber" would threaten the store clerk with a gun before taking cash from the register and fleeing.The clerks would allegedly wait at least five minutes, making sure the "robber" escaped before calling police.The alleged robberies were caught on surveillance camera, and the "victims" would use this to leverage for U non-immigration status visas (U Visas).A U Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. The 10 people in this case allegedly paid Rambhai Patel to participate in the scheme as a "victim" and in turn, Patel would pay the store owners to use their businesses to stage the robberies.The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.