⏱ 2 min read
Mitul Patel, a 40-year-old Indian national, was part of a sophisticated visa fraud scheme in Massachusetts, where he and his co-conspirators staged armed robberies of convenience stores to help clerks falsely claim they were crime victims on immigration applications. The scheme, which involved at least six stores in Massachusetts and elsewhere, began in March 2023 and ended with Patel’s sentencing in federal court in Boston. Patel pleaded guilty in June 2026 and was sentenced to time served and a $1,000 fine. The motive behind the scheme was to allow the clerks to obtain U non-immigration status, also known as a U Visa, by falsely claiming they were victims of a violent crime.
The scheme involved Patel and his co-conspirators, including Rambhai Patel and Balwinder Singh, who would stage armed robberies of convenience stores and fast-food restaurants. The ‘robber’ would threaten store clerks with an apparent firearm before taking cash from the register and fleeing, while the interaction was captured on store surveillance video. The clerks would then wait five or more minutes before calling police to report the ‘crime’. The ‘victims’ would pay Rambhai Patel to participate in the scheme, and in turn, Rambhai Patel would pay the store owners for the use of their stores.
Patel’s sentencing is the latest development in a case that has been ongoing since March 2026, when he and 10 others were charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Rambhai Patel, the organizer of the scheme, and Balwinder Singh, the getaway driver, were previously charged and convicted in May 2025. Mitul Patel’s sentence includes removal from the United States, bringing an end to his involvement in the visa fraud scheme.
The case highlights the lengths to which individuals will go to fraudulently obtain immigration status in the United States. The use of staged armed robberies to obtain a U Visa is a serious crime that undermines the integrity of the immigration system. The sentencing of Mitul Patel serves as a reminder that those who engage in such schemes will be held accountable and face serious consequences.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Massachusetts
- Location: MA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
