FBI busts Massachusetts convenience store clerks for 'staged armed robberies' to apply for immigration benefits

Rick Sobey, Boston Herald on Mar 13, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BOSTON — A group of local convenience store owners have been busted by the FBI for an alleged scheme to stage armed robberies so they could apply for immigration benefits.

The 11 Indian nationals across the country — seven in Massachusetts — have been charged in connection with a conspiracy to “carry out staged armed robberies of convenience stores” so the store clerks could falsely claim they were crime victims on immigration applications, the FBI announced Friday.

In 2023, Rambhai Patel and his co-conspirators allegedly set up and carried out staged armed robberies of at least six convenience/liquor stores and fast food restaurants in Massachusetts and more elsewhere.

According to the feds, the purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the clerks to falsely claim they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U non-immigration status (U Visa).

A U Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse, and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.

“In the course of the alleged staged robberies, the ‘robber’ would threaten store clerks and/or owners with an apparent firearm before taking cash from the register and fleeing, while the interaction was captured on store surveillance video,” the FBI wrote.

“The clerks and/or owners would then wait five or more minutes until the ‘robber’ had escaped before calling police to report the ‘crime,’ ” the FBI added.

The “victims” each allegedly paid Patel to participate in the scheme. In turn, Patel allegedly paid the store owners for using their stores for the staged robbery.

Patel, the “robber,” and the getaway driver were previously charged and convicted.

The 11 defendants charged on Friday allegedly either arranged with the organizer to set up each robbery, or paid for themselves or a family member to participate as a “victim.”

The 11 defendants who were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud are:

• Jitendrakumar Patel, 39, unlawfully residing in Marshfield

• Maheshkumar Patel, 36, unlawfully residing in Randolph

• Sanjaykumar Patel, 45, unlawfully residing in Quincy

• Amitabahen Patel, 43, unlawfully residing in Plainville

• Sangitaben Patel, 36, unlawfully residing in Randolph

• Mitul Patel, 40, unlawfully residing in Worcester

• Dipikaben Patel, 40, deported to India after unlawfully residing in Weymouth

• Rameshbhai Patel, 52, unlawfully residing in Eubank, Ky.

• Ronakkumar Patel, 28, unlawfully residing in Maryland Heights, Miss.

• Minkesh Patel, 42, unlawfully residing in Perrysburg, Ohio

• Sonal Patel, 42, unlawfully residing in Perrysburg, Ohio

Jitendrakumar Patel, Maheshkumar Patel, Sanjaykumar Patel, Amitabahen Patel, Sangitaben Patel and Mitul Patel were arrested in Massachusetts and released following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Friday.

Rameshbhai Patel, Ronakkumar Patel, Sonal Patel and Minkesh Patel were arrested and made their initial appearances in Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio. They will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud can lead to a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

-------------