US visa fraud: Indian-origin man, 4 cops indicted in U-visa fraud involving fake crime reports

An Indian-origin businessman in Louisiana has been indicted as the alleged mastermind of a large-scale visa fraud racket that spanned nearly a decade and involved fabricated police reports to help undocumented immigrants secure U-visas in the United States.

Federal prosecutors say the scheme, led by Chandrakant “Lala” Patel, also implicates four Louisiana law enforcement officers, three of them active police chiefs, who allegedly took bribes to falsify armed robbery reports that never occurred.

The indictment, unsealed earlier this month in Shreveport, charges the five accused with 62 criminal counts, including conspiracy to commit visa fraud, bribery, mailing false documents, and money laundering. If convicted, they could face decades in prison.

The case has drawn widespread attention amid broader immigration enforcement actions under the Donald Trump administration, which has been working to eliminate visa loopholes used by undocumented immigrants.

According to U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook, the group created a pattern of “armed robberies of people who were not from Louisiana," except that the crimes never actually happened. “There had been an unusual concentration of armed robberies of people who were not from Louisiana,” Van Hook said, adding that police officials were paid $5,000 for each name they helped add to fake reports.

The main culprit?

At the centre of the conspiracy is Chandrakant Patel, also known as Lala, a restaurateur from Oakdale, Louisiana. Prosecutors allege that Patel coordinated with Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, Forest Hill Police Chief Glynn Dixon, former Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onishea, and Oakdale Marshal Michael “Freck” Slaney to fabricate reports and submit false certifications on USCIS Form I-918B, which supports U-visa applications.

What is a U-visa?

The U-visa is a special immigration benefit reserved for victims of serious crimes, like assault or armed robbery, who cooperate with law enforcement. The visa allows victims and their families to remain in the United States and eventually apply for permanent residency.

According to a statement from USCIS, undocumented immigrants seeking U-visas would contact Patel, or a middleman, who would then coordinate with law enforcement to name the individual as a “victim” in staged crime reports. The immigrants allegedly paid Patel thousands of dollars to participate.

The scam extended well beyond Louisiana. The Associated Press reported that hundreds of fraudulent visas were approved over the years, and that Patel had even attempted to bribe a member of the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office with $5,000 as recently as February 18, 2025, to obtain a fraudulent police report.

The case was brought to light following a 2024 tip received by Homeland Security Investigations, which launched a multi-agency probe involving USCIS, the DOJ, and immigration enforcement teams.

A similar case had surfaced earlier this year when Rambhal Patel, another Indian national based in New York, pleaded guilty to staging at least nine fake robberies across various U.S. states to help undocumented Indians apply for U-visas.