Louisiana police chiefs among those arrested and accused in a bribery scheme to help foreign nationals get visas
A group of existing or former Louisiana Police Chief and a Metro sandwich shop is accused of hiding in a decade to falsify the police reports to help foreign nationals get visas for criminal victims or witnesses.
In a statement on Wednesday, a federal prosecutor returned the 62 counting indictment that accused of charges such as bribery, postal fraud, black laundering, conspiracy and migration fraud.
He focused on buying schemes U visaForeign nationals who do not have any official status in the United States allow Louisiana to stay in the country in certain situations that mobilized US lawyer Alexander Van Hook, the US lawyer.
He said that U visas were important to help law enforcement officers solve the cases. However, the United States limits the number of visas and fraudulent applications may prevent legitimate crime victims or witnesses from obtaining a visa.
Van Hook claimed that the store operator paid 5,000 dollars to civil servants to create fake police reports claiming to be dozens of people. From December 2015 to July 2025, as allegedly realized according to the prosecutor’s office, in question.
A federal prosecutor said Chandrakant claimed that Patel had paid thousands of dollars to falsify Police reports. – Rapides Parish Sheriff Office
The defendants and the accusations include:
– Subway Sandwich Store Operator Chandrakant “Lala” PatelOakdale, accused of conspiracy to make bribery, postal fraud, money laundering and visa fraud, from Louisiana
– Oakdale Police Chief Chad DoyleWho is accused of a conspiracy to make a visa fraud, money laundering and visa fraud
– Michael “Çayıl” SlaneyA Marshal in Oakdale, accused of conspiracy to make a visa fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and visa fraud.
– Police Chief Glynn dixon Louisiana, Forest Hill, Louisiana, accused of conspiracy to make a visa fraud, postal fraud, money laundering and visa fraud.
– Tebo onisheaLouisiana, accused of a conspiracy to make a visa fraud, mail fraud and visa fraud, is a former police chief of Glenmora.
In case of convictions, the defendants face up to five years of imprisonment on charges of conspiracy, up to 10 years in the charges of visa fraud and up to 20 years on charges of post fraud. If he is convicted of bribery, Patel is sentenced to imprisonment of up to 10 years.
The prosecutor said, “It can also be ordered to pay a fine of up to $ 250,000 for each number,” the prosecutor said.
It is not exactly clear when the defendants have legal representation or go to court.
The existing Oakdale Police Chief was arrested and on Thursday, two states were accused of malicious intentions, and a news bulletin from Louisiana State Police was accused of conspiring the proposal process with Patel for the owner of the city ”.
For more information, CNN reached Louisiana State Police and Allen Parish Regional Prosecutor’s Office. CNN tried to reach his wife for a comment and is not clear whether he was legal representation.
‘Armed robberies have never happened’
Authorities claimed that in some of our small communities in Louisiana, which were not from Louisiana and in Louisiana, a large number of armed robbery and (defendants) were the victims of armed robbers, ”he said.
“In fact, armed robberies never took place. And those listed in the applications were never victims of crime.
According to a 21 -page indictment opened in the Federal Court this month, Patel was given a visa in 2023 based on the claim that he claimed as a victim of armed robbery ”.
The indictment also lists the first initials and surnames of the 24 alleged victims, all of which are surnames of Patel. It was not immediately clear whether any of these foreign nationals were associated with the metro store operator.
‘There are hundreds of names’
Responsible for the Special Representative for Safety Safety Research, about 200 law enforcement force as a part of the investigation on Tuesday 11 search orders, he said.
Delane said that two of the police chiefs were arrested on Tuesday while attending a conference in Baton Rouge.
Van Hook said hundreds of visa applications may be included and the investigation is not finished.
“This is a very, very important situation. Not two or three people. There are hundreds of names, and the case will relax in court,” he said.
‘When I said there were hundreds of names, these visas were approved.’
This story has been updated with additional information.
Caroll Alvarado from CNN, Jeremy Grisham and Devon Sayers contributed to this report.
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