https://deepnewz.com/crime/louisiana-police-chiefs-charged-decade-long-u-visa-fraud-scheme-e1c95efa

Federal prosecutors in Lafayette, Louisiana, unsealed a 62-count indictment charging five people—including three current or former police chiefs—with conspiracy, visa fraud, bribery, mail fraud and money laundering. Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook said the defendants were arrested on Tuesday after a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the IRS.

Those charged are Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, Forest Hill Police Chief Glynn Dixon, former Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onishea, Oakdale city marshal Michael “Freck” Slaney and Oakdale businessman Chandrakant “Lala” Patel. Prosecutors allege the group fabricated police reports so that non-citizens could obtain U-visas—reserved for crime victims who assist law-enforcement—collecting about $5,000 for each falsified report. Investigators say the scheme generated “hundreds” of bogus applications and operated from late 2015 until last week.

According to the indictment, Patel acted as a broker, accepting cash from visa applicants and paying the officers to sign off on fictitious armed-robbery complaints. Search warrants were executed at several police departments and a Subway restaurant owned by Patel. All defendants face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy count, up to 10 years on each visa-fraud charge and up to 20 years on each mail-fraud count; Patel faces an additional bribery count.

Officials stressed that the charges target individuals rather than entire departments. The investigation, launched after a tip from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, remains active, and authorities have not said whether immigrants who paid for the fraudulent documents will be prosecuted or lose their visa status. All of the accused were released pending trial except Patel, who remains in custody.