A shocking development has unfurled at the nation’s capital, revealing a fraud scandal that weaponizes asylum laws. The incident involves illegal entrants into the country planning and executing fabricated robberies, subsequently using these incidents to vie for coveted asylum rights. As CWB Chicago reports, charges have been pressed against six people caught in this illicit web, clearly revealing the length to which some will go to manipulate our nation’s immigration system.
A grand total of hundreds of individuals seem to be caught up in this ploy, many of whom journeyed from afar to take part in the deceitful acts. These folks posed as regular patrons in more than a few businesses sprinkled throughout Chicago and beyond. The end-game? To acquire preferential immigration status, exploiting the system under the mantle of ‘victims’ of meticulously planned ‘armed robberies’.
In an alarming incident, during a faked-up staged stick-up in the Bucktown area last year, things turned unexpectedly real. As per sources, a ‘robber’ unintentionally discharged his weapon, gravely injuring a clerk at a liquor store. In that singular incident, five patrons were supposedly ‘robbed’.
The intricacies of the scam also involved fake victims assuming aliases. The four leading suspects, in this sordid saga, named by the indictment are: Bhikhabhai Patel, 51, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky; Nilesh Patel, 32, of Jackson, Tennessee; Ravinaben Patel, 23, of Racine, Wisconsin; and Rajkumar Patel, 32, of Jacksonville, Florida.
Another event marked by this subterfuge saw a brew gone wrong, resulting in a fake robber carelessly shooting a liquor store clerk, leaving patrons awestruck. Following this, the ‘victims’, adhering to the blueprint of misconduct, presented forms to the law enforcement, asserting their cooperation in the subsequent investigation.
The final pillar of this modus operandi introduces us to fraudulent U-visa applications, introduced by the alleged victims. This particular visa, as reported by CWB Chicago, serves ‘victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in an investigation or prosecution.’
According to an insider, it’s probable that a considerable number of ‘victims’, many hailing from out-of-state, will manage to evade federal pursuit. Officers have pointed out an excess of 100 people, mostly from Latin and South American backgrounds, guilty of reaping benefits from this saga of faux robberies.
Diving deeper into the indictment, it handpicks 17 ‘robberies’ for charging purposes: ranging from incidents at a Fas Fuel in Lombard, a Subway restaurant in Elmwood Park, Tropical Smoothie in St. Charles, and Dunkin’ stores scattered across Chicago in recent years. The details around these incidents distinctly showcase how wide and elaborate the scam was.
Adding to the list are other establishments including a BP in Hickory Hills, Max’s Food and Liquor in River Grove, Lake Villa Liquors in Lake Villa, a Dunkin’ in South Holland, a Subway in Rayne, Louisiana, Trolley Rock Truck Stop in Belvidere, Tennessee, Bucktown Food & Liquor in Chicago and finally, a 7-Eleven in Chicago. Unsurprisingly, our chief suspects – the Patels were amongst the ‘victims’ at some of these venues.
The existence of such manipulative practices is sadly not confined to this singular instance. Casting a shadow on our justice and immigration systems, Fox News discloses another such case. The incident that transpired in April had a tragic end – culminating in the demise of one of the make-believe robbers.
Official records inspected by Fox News Digital confirm the role of 22-year-old Rasshauud Scott in organizing the fraudulent robbery alongside William Winfrey. The unexpected discovery of Telegram messages shared between the duo shed light on their scheming plans. These archives revealed that these counterfeit robberies were not new to them; the duo had a history of staging similar heists dating back to 2023, spinning their spider web of deception.
Unfortunately, their game turned fatal for Scott on Jan. 27. An unsuspecting bystander, Jesus Vargas, acting on instinct, shot him dead, believing he was rescuing an innocent victim. What’s even more surprising is Vargas, himself a parole violator, voluntarily fled the scene due to unlawfully possessing a firearm.
When the law enforcement officials sat down with one of the alleged victims, the truth behind these theater of robberies was finally unveiled. The individual confirmed that the so-called robbery was, undeniably, part of a bigger plot; a diabolical scheme meant to exploit U-visas under the guise of victimhood.
The heartbreaking aftermath of this twisted game was a loss of life, something that could and should have been avoided. An emotional appeal was made by Scott’s fiancée, Sade Beverly, as she told Fox 26, although he made dubious decisions, no one deserves such a tragic end.
In the final analysis, it is blatantly clear that our nation is dealing with a new dimension of immigration fraud – one that exploits our laws, shows no respect for human lives, and poses a significant threat to our national security. These incidents demand our unwavering attention and a robust response to safeguard the integrity of legal immigration pathways.