A 40-year-old man, Mitul Patel, has pleaded guilty in a federal court in Boston, Massachusetts, for his role in an alleged visa fraud scheme involving staged armed robberies designed to support fraudulent U visa applications.
Mitul Patel, who admitted to acting as one of the fake “victims” in the scheme, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. His guilty plea follows criminal complaints filed against ten other individuals in March 2026.
According to court documents, the operation was allegedly masterminded by Rambhai Patel, who was convicted in May 2025. Investigators say Mitul paid Rambhai to participate as a victim in a staged armed robbery at a convenience store in Worcester in October 2023.
Federal authorities allege that Rambhai Patel and his associates orchestrated multiple fake robberies at convenience stores, liquor stores and fast-food restaurants across Massachusetts and other locations. At least six such incidents were allegedly staged beginning in March 2024.
Investigators claim the store owners, employees and the so-called victims were all aware that the robberies had been carefully planned.
During the staged incidents, an individual posing as an armed robber would allegedly threaten store staff with what appeared to be a firearm, steal cash from the register and flee. The robberies were intentionally carried out in front of surveillance cameras so the footage could later be used as supporting evidence for U visa applications.
To make the incidents appear genuine, store employees allegedly waited several minutes before calling police to report the crime.
Authorities say the fake victims paid Rambhai Patel to participate in the scheme, while he allegedly compensated store owners for allowing their businesses to be used as locations for the staged robberies.
Prosecutors allege the conspiracy was intended to help participants fraudulently obtain U visas, a special immigration benefit available to certain victims of qualifying crimes who assist law enforcement during investigations.
According to investigators, the ten other individuals charged in the case were allegedly living in the United States without legal status and sought to use the fabricated robberies to strengthen their U visa applications.
The investigation remains ongoing as federal authorities continue to examine the full scope of the alleged immigration fraud network.
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