Visa Fraud Conspiracy: Indian Nationals Charged in Fake Robbery Scheme
A group of Indian nationals has been charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud in the United States. The individuals involved in the scheme staged fake armed robberies at convenience stores in Massachusetts in order to help the clerks gain an advantage on their immigration visas. The 11 people charged in the conspiracy were arrested in Massachusetts, Kentucky, Missouri, and Ohio. They allegedly orchestrated the fake robberies at six different stores, threatening the clerks with a gun before taking cash and fleeing. The clerks would then report the incidents as violent crimes to support their U non-immigration status visas. The participants in the scheme paid each other to stage the robberies, with the store owners also receiving payment for their involvement. The individuals involved in the conspiracy face up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.