New York: An Indian-origin businessman and the police chiefs of three Louisiana cities in the US have been charged with visa fraud for exploiting a program designed to help crime victims. Chandrakant “Lala” Patel paid police officers in Louisiana to fabricate armed robbery cases and list people he proposed as victims, enabling them to claim visas intended for crime victims, officials said in July.

A federal grand jury indicted them on fraud and conspiracy charges, announced acting federal prosecutor Alexander Van Hook in Lafayette, Louisiana. In the US, a grand jury determines if there is enough evidence to bring charges. Patel, who himself had obtained a visa for crime victims, paid police $5,000 for each person he referred, asking them to create false crime reports showing those individuals as victims, according to court documents.

These “U Visas” allow victims to remain in the country to testify in court. Court papers list 25 people with the last name Patel and only initials as victims in the police reports. Patel and the officials knew those listed as “cooperating victims” were never actual crime victims, the charges state.

Separately, Allison Doyle, wife of Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, was arrested on state corruption charges, according to KPLC TV. While she was not charged federally, her husband, Police Chiefs Glynn Dixon of Forest Hill, Tebo Onishea of Glenmora, and Oakdale Marshal Michael Slaney were.

Patel owned two stores and operated a fast-food restaurant. Court papers show $230,000 and property work worth $51,000 linked to Patel in this case.

Several cases of Indian involvement in visa fraud have emerged recently. In May, two Indian-origin men pleaded guilty in Massachusetts to staging armed robberies to help businesses claim U Visas. Rambhai Patel and Balwinder Singh faked at least nine armed robberies of stores and restaurants across the US and are awaiting sentencing.

According to those court papers, one person pretended to be a robber threatening employees or owners with a firearm while being recorded. Victims would wait until the “robber” fled before calling police. Some paid Patel up to $20,000 to stage these fake robberies.