What began as a string of reported armed robberies across Massachusetts and other states turned out to be a calculated operation. A 40-year-old Indian national, Mitul Patel, played a key role in this elaborate fraud by hiring others to pose as victims and robbers in staged crimes. The aim? To help convenience store clerks obtain U visas by falsely claiming they had been victimized.
Inside the Scheme: Payments and Staged Surveillance
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Patel and others orchestrated fake robberies at stores in Worcester, Massachusetts, in October 2023. The suspects entered armed with what appeared to be firearms, threatened employees, and took cash—all captured on surveillance cameras. The clerks then waited before calling police to file a report, creating the illusion of a real violent crime.
The DOJ alleges that Patel paid Rambhai Patel to pose as a robbery victim. In turn, Rambhai reportedly paid store owners to allow their locations to be used for the staged attacks. These clerks later submitted false claims for U visas, a status reserved for victims of qualifying crimes who cooperate with law enforcement.
Balwinder Singh, the alleged fake robber and getaway driver, was already convicted in May 2025, the DOJ reported. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the FBI, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and local police. While some participants have been convicted, others remain under investigation and are presumed innocent until proven guilty.